Claudio Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while preheating for at least 30 minutes. If using a baking sheet, place it in the oven upside down to preheat for the same time. Lightly flour a work surface with the 2 tbs of flour.

Shape the dough: On the floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough to a roughly 12-inch (30 cm) round, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. Transfer the shaped dough to a lightly floured pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet if you will slide it onto a hot stone; if using the preheated inverted baking sheet, assemble the pizza on a piece of parchment for easier transfer.

Brush edge with olive oil: Lightly brush the exposed rim of the dough with 1 tbs olive oil to promote browning.

Make quick tomato sauce

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. This is a simple, slightly chunky pizza sauce — do not over-sauce the dough; you want a thin even layer.

Spread sauce: Using the back of a spoon, spread about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of the sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-3/4 inch (1–2 cm) border for the crust. Reserve any leftover sauce for another pizza or serving.

Prepare ricotta

If your ricotta is very loose, drain it briefly in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes so it doesn't make the pizza soggy. Spoon dollops of the ricotta across the sauced dough — aim for 6–8 small mounds (about 3/4 cup total) spaced so they will melt into creamy pockets.

Add mozzarella and salamito

Distribute the torn or sliced fresh mozzarella evenly over the pizza, leaving space so the ricotta pockets remain distinct. Arrange the thin slices of salamito picante across the pizza, overlapping slightly if desired so every bite has some spicy salami. If you like extra heat, sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes sparingly.

Finish before baking

Lightly grate or sprinkle 2 tbs Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the top if using. This adds savory depth and helps browning. Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet (using the peel or the parchment).

Bake

Bake for 8–12 minutes, depending on oven and stone, until the crust is golden and blistered and the mozzarella is bubbly and slightly browned. Rotate halfway through if your oven has hot spots. Keep an eye after 8 minutes to avoid burning the salami edges.

Finish and serve

Remove pizza from oven and immediately scatter fresh basil leaves on top. Let rest 2 minutes, then slice and serve hot. The ricotta will be creamy pockets contrasting with melted mozzarella and spicy salamito.