Bianca Recipe

Activate yeast

Warm the water to about 100–105°F (37–40°C). In a small bowl, stir the warm water, sugar or honey, and active dry yeast. Let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy.

Make dough

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and fine sea salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, or use the dough hook on medium speed for 6–8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

First rise

Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 to 1½ hours.

Divide and rest

Punch down the dough and divide into two equal portions for two 12-inch pizzas (or keep whole for one large). Form tight balls, cover, and let rest 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten before shaping.

Preheat the oven to its highest temperature (500–550°F / 260–290°C) with a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack for at least 30 minutes. If using a home oven with a broiler, position rack so top of pizza will be close to the broiler when finished.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta with 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and half of the minced garlic. Stir until smooth and set aside.

Toss the shredded fontina and shredded/ sliced mozzarella together so they melt evenly. Reserve the grated Parmesan in a small bowl for sprinkling.

Mix the remaining minced garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chopped rosemary and thyme to create a garlic-herb oil. This will be brushed on the crust and dotted on top.

Shape: On a lightly floured surface or a semolina-dusted peel, gently stretch or roll one dough ball into a roughly 12-inch circle, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. Transfer to the semolina-dusted peel or sheet.

Oil and garlic: Brush the dough surface lightly with the garlic-herb oil, avoiding pooling. Reserve about 1 teaspoon of the garlic and oil mix for final topping.

Ricotta base: Dollop spoonfuls of the seasoned ricotta across the pizza, leaving gaps so the other cheeses can melt through. Use about 1/2 cup ricotta per pizza (adjust if making one large pizza).

Add shredded cheeses: Scatter the fontina and mozzarella evenly over and between the ricotta dollops. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons (or 2 oz equivalent) of grated Parmesan over the top.

Final seasoning: Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, a light dusting of black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Drizzle the reserved garlic-herb oil dots sparingly over the cheese.

Bake: Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 7–10 minutes, rotating halfway, until the crust is blistered and golden and cheeses are bubbling and slightly browned at edges. Baking time will vary with oven temperature; watch carefully.

Finish: Remove pizza from oven. Immediately grate a little extra Parmesan if desired, drizzle up to 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top, and sprinkle with a few extra rosemary leaves. Let rest 2–3 minutes, then slice and serve.