White Hot Pizza Recipe

Prep dough and oven

Place rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet inside. Remove dough from refrigerator 30–60 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Lightly flour work surface with 1/4 cup flour.

On the floured surface, gently press and stretch the dough into a roughly 12-inch round, keeping a slightly thicker rim for the crust. Avoid overworking the dough to retain air bubbles. Transfer to a piece of parchment or a well-floured pizza peel.

Brush the outer 1/2-inch rim lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to promote browning.

Roast mushrooms

Preheat oven (can be done while oven heats for pizza) to 425°F (220°C). Toss quartered mushrooms with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread on a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast 15–20 minutes, stirring once, until golden and slightly caramelized. Remove and set aside.

Roast garlic (if not already roasted)

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if not using same cycle. Slice top off garlic head to expose cloves, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, wrap tightly in foil and roast 35–40 minutes until very soft. Alternatively roast with mushrooms if space allows. When cool, squeeze roasted garlic cloves from skins and mash into a paste.

Make béchamel-based white sauce

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Add the 3 minced garlic cloves and sweat 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon flour and whisk constantly 1 minute to cook raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in 1 cup whole milk, bring to a gentle simmer while whisking to avoid lumps. Simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened to a creamy coating consistency. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let cool 5 minutes—sauce should be spreadable but not too runny.

Spread sauce

Spread an even layer (about 3/4 to 1 cup) of the warm white sauce over the stretched dough, leaving the oiled rim exposed.

Add cheeses

Distribute the torn fresh mozzarella evenly over the sauced surface (about 8 oz). Dollop small spoonfuls of ricotta (about 1/2 cup total) across the pizza, spacing them evenly. Crumble the 3 oz goat cheese and scatter across the top.

Add toppings

Scatter the roasted mushrooms evenly over the cheeses. Dot with small bits of the roasted garlic paste—use cloves mashed and placed in a few spots so the garlic flavor is concentrated but not overpowering. Arrange sliced banana peppers over the pizza to taste (about 1/4 cup). Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper over the top, and if desired, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for heat.

If using parchment, slide pizza (on parchment) onto preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. If on a peel, quickly transfer to stone. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, rotating once halfway, until crust is golden, cheese is melted and edges are blistered. Baking time will vary with oven and stone thickness.

Remove pizza from oven and immediately brush crust with a little extra-virgin olive oil (about 1/2 tsp) for sheen and flavor. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley or basil over the hot pizza.

Let pizza rest 2–3 minutes to set, then slice into 6–8 pieces. Serve warm with additional crushed red pepper or sea salt on the side.