Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. If your oven doesn't reach 500°F, set to its highest temperature.

Stretch dough

On a lightly floured surface or parchment, press/roll the room-temperature pizza dough into a 12-inch round (or desired shape) about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a piece of parchment paper for easy transfer to the oven. Brush the surface lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon fine sea salt.

Broccoli Rabe Topping

Trim and blanch

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim tough ends from the broccoli rabe and cut into 2–3 inch pieces. Blanch the broccoli rabe in the boiling water for 1 minute until bright green, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain well and squeeze out excess water; set aside.

Sauté with garlic and spice

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add the drained broccoli rabe and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Sauté, tossing, for 2–3 minutes until the rabe is tender and any remaining water has evaporated. Season with 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Cheese & Salami

Prepare ricotta

In a small bowl, stir the whole-milk ricotta until creamy. Fold in the optional grated Parmesan (1/4 cup) if using, and season with 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. If the ricotta is very wet, strain briefly through a fine sieve or cheesecloth for 10–15 minutes to reduce excess moisture.

Assemble toppings

Scatter spoonfuls of the ricotta over the oiled dough, leaving a 3/4–1 inch border for the crust. Distribute the sautéed broccoli rabe evenly across the pizza. Tuck or place the thin spicy salami slices on top of and around the rabe — the salami will crisp slightly in the oven and release flavor. If you prefer a more pronounced salty finish, add a few extra salami slices.

Bake & Finish

Bake pizza

Slide the parchment with the assembled pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or inverted baking sheet. Bake 8–12 minutes (depending on oven temperature) until the crust is golden and blistered at the edges and the salami edges are crisp. If using a broiler, broil for the last 30–60 seconds to encourage charring — watch carefully.

Finish

Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Immediately drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with flaky sea salt (about 1/4 teaspoon), and add a light grating of lemon zest (optional, 1 teaspoon) for brightness. Let rest 2 minutes, then slice and serve.