White Recipe

Bloom yeast

In a small bowl, stir the warm water, sugar (or honey) and active dry yeast. Let sit undisturbed for 5–8 minutes until foamy and fragrant.

Mix dough

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add the foamy yeast mixture and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms, about 1–2 minutes.

Knead

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 7–10 minutes. Alternatively, knead in a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for 5–7 minutes.

First rise

Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1.5 hours.

Shape

Punch down the dough, turn it out, and divide if making more than one pizza. For a single 12–14" pizza, shape into a ball and rest 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll into a 12–14" round, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust.

Preheat oven

Place a pizza stone or an inverted heavy baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. If using a home oven that reaches 525–550°F, preheat to the maximum temperature for a crisper crust.

Prepare ricotta mix

In a small bowl, mix the ricotta with minced garlic, half of the grated Parmesan, lemon zest (if using), 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning; ricotta should be creamy and slightly seasoned.

Dress the dough

Lightly brush the stretched dough with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, leaving the rim unbrushed. This provides a barrier so the crust browns nicely and prevents the ricotta from making the dough soggy.

Distribute cheeses

Spoon dollops of the seasoned ricotta across the dough (about 1/2-inch to 1-inch dollops), leaving spaces between. Sprinkle the shredded or sliced mozzarella evenly over the surface, aiming for full coverage but not overly thick layering. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan evenly. Lightly season the top with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt, the 1/8 tsp black pepper, and the crushed red pepper flakes.

Bake

Transfer the pizza to the preheated stone or baking sheet using a peel or an inverted sheet pan. Bake at 500–525°F (260–275°C) for 8–12 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until the crust is golden, the mozzarella is melted and bubbling, and small golden spots appear on the ricotta.

Finish and rest

Remove the pizza from the oven. Immediately tear and scatter fresh basil leaves over the hot pizza. Drizzle the top lightly with extra-virgin olive oil (and optional truffle oil if using). Let rest 2–3 minutes so cheeses set slightly before slicing.

Serve

Slice and serve hot. Offer extra crushed red pepper, grated Parmesan, and fresh basil at the table.

If using truffle oil, add only a few drops after baking — truffle oil cooks off quickly and is best as a finishing note. If you used lemon zest in the ricotta, no additional action is needed.