The Sub Recipe

Make and cook meatballs

In a medium bowl combine ground beef, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Italian herb mix, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, beaten egg, salt, and pepper. Mix lightly until combined — do not overwork. Roll into 12 small meatballs (about 1 inch each).

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear meatballs in batches until browned on all sides (about 2 minutes per side). They should be mostly cooked through but not fully — finish cooking on the pizza. Remove to a plate and set aside.

If using a plain tomato sauce, season 1 cup with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and a pinch of sugar if desired. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano for extra Italian flavor.

Shred the fontina and fontinella and tear the fresh mozzarella into small pieces. Crumble the bleu cheese and measure out Parmesan.

Thinly slice the garlic (from the Dough & Assembly list) and set aside for topping.

Preheat wood-fired oven to pizza temperature (approx. 700–900°F / 370–480°C) or preheat conventional oven to highest setting with a pizza stone for at least 45 minutes (ideally 500–550°F / 260–290°C).

Lightly dust work surface with flour and stretch the dough into a 12-inch oval. Transfer to a peel or baking sheet dusted with semolina or flour.

Brush the stretched dough lightly with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, especially along the edge to promote browning.

Spread the seasoned tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border for the crust (use roughly 3/4–1 cup of sauce depending on preference).

Scatter thin garlic slices evenly over the sauce so they toast but do not burn.

Evenly distribute the shredded fontina and fontinella across the sauced dough.

Arrange the seared meatballs across the pizza, spacing them to allow even cooking. If meatballs are larger than 1 inch, flatten slightly so they finish cooking on the pizza.

Dots of fresh mozzarella should be placed between meatballs for even melting. Sprinkle crumbled bleu cheese sparingly so its flavor comes through without overpowering.

Finish with a light sprinkle of grated Parmesan over the top.

Bake in the wood-fired oven: slide pizza onto the oven floor or stone and cook 90 seconds to 3 minutes, turning frequently to avoid burning, until crust is blistered, cheese is melted, and meatballs are cooked through. In a hot conventional oven on a preheated stone, bake 6–9 minutes at highest setting until crust is golden, cheese melted, and meatballs reach 160°F (71°C).

Remove pizza from oven. Let rest 1 minute, then scatter fresh basil leaves if using and sprinkle red pepper flakes to taste. Drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil and a final pinch of Parmesan.

Slice into 6 servings (or 4 large slices) and serve hot.