Pizza Florentina Recipe

preheat and prepare dough

Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C). If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while preheating. On a lightly floured surface or parchment, stretch/roll the pizza dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer the stretched dough to a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet lined with parchment.

Brush the dough lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil, leaving a 1/2-inch border for the crust. Mince the garlic and combine with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; brush or lightly drizzle this over the dough base to season it evenly.

sauté spinach

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped shallot and cook until softened and translucent, about 2–3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant (use the garlic from ingredients). Add the fresh baby spinach in batches, stirring until wilted before adding more, until all 6 cups are wilted, about 3–4 minutes total.

Season the wilted spinach with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg. Remove from heat and let cool briefly. If excess liquid accumulates, transfer spinach to a fine-mesh sieve and press gently or blot with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Coarsely chop or leave slightly loose based on preference.

Spread the spinach evenly over the prepared, oiled pizza dough, leaving the crust border exposed. Distribute any small pools of flavorful oil over the spinach but avoid soggy spots.

assemble cheeses

Drop dollops (spoonfuls) of the ricotta across the spinach in 6–8 evenly spaced mounds. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the pizza, followed by grated Parmesan. If using, sprinkle 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes for a little heat.

add eggs

Make two shallow wells amid the cheese and spinach where you will crack the eggs. Crack one egg into each well, keeping yolks intact. Lightly season the egg whites with a pinch of salt and the 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

bake

Transfer the pizza (on the parchment) to the hot pizza stone or baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes. Bake until the crust is golden and blistered and the egg whites are set while yolks remain slightly runny (or longer if you prefer firm yolks). If your oven browns unevenly, rotate halfway through baking.

finish and serve

Remove pizza from oven and let rest 2 minutes. Optionally drizzle a little more olive oil over the top and sprinkle an extra pinch of salt or a few gratings of Parmesan. Slice into 6–8 pieces and serve hot so that each slice includes some egg and spinach.