This extra cheesy speck and mushroom pizza is irresistible. Expect rich, melty cheese, earthy mushrooms and smoky speck on a crisp, homemade pizza base.
For years this has been my go-to pizza: a white, extra-cheesy base instead of tomato sauce. It’s indulgent, simple to make and wonderfully satisfying.
I first discovered this style of white pizza in the cookbook Two Greedy Italians Eat Italy by Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo. Their recipes are straightforward, authentic and consistently delicious, which is exactly what I love about Italian cooking.
The inspiration comes from the Alpine pizza in the book, a Northern Italian classic that mixes Gruyère and crème fraîche for the base, then finishes with salami, red onion and marjoram.
Living in Tuscany I rarely find Gruyère, so I use Fontal instead. Fontal is common in Italy and similar to fontina. It melts beautifully and adds a rich, buttery flavour that works perfectly for this pizza.
I season the white cheese base with salt, pepper and a crushed clove of garlic for a subtle garlic kick. Cheese and garlic are a classic combination that lifts the whole pizza.
The pizzas are topped with chestnut mushrooms and thin slices of speck — a smoky, salty Italian cured meat available at delis and many supermarkets. The combination of an indulgent cheese base, earthy mushrooms and savory speck is irresistibly balanced.
I always make my own dough. It’s far better than store-bought and surprisingly simple: knead until the dough is silky and springs back when pressed. It may feel unfamiliar at first, but with a little practice homemade dough becomes second nature and much more rewarding.
If you try this Cheesy Speck and Mushroom Pizza, please leave a comment — I’d love to hear how it turned out!
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Cheesy Speck and Mushroom Pizza
By Emily
Ingredients
For the pizza dough
- 4 cups (500g) 00′ flour
- 1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 10.8 fl oz (320 ml) lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- salt, for seasoning
- semolina flour or polenta, for dusting
For the topping
- 8.8 oz (250g) sour cream
- 3 oz (90g) speck slices (or prosciutto)
- 6 large chestnut mushrooms
- 5.6 oz (160g) fontal cheese, grated (or Gruyère)
- 1 clove garlic
- salt and pepper, for seasoning
Instructions
- Add the yeast to the lukewarm water with 1/2 tsp sugar and let sit for 2 minutes. Combine the flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the water/yeast while mixing to form a dough. If the dough feels too sticky, add a little more flour.
- Dust a surface with flour and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should spring back when you press it lightly. Coat a clean bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil, shape the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl and rub a little oil over the top. Cover and leave in a warm place for at least 3 hours until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 225°C when you’re ready to bake.
- Divide the dough in half. Dust a work surface and roll each half out as thinly as possible (about 30cm diameter) without tearing. Dust baking trays with semolina and transfer the dough to the trays.
- For the topping, mix the grated cheese, sour cream and crushed garlic in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture evenly over both bases. Top with layers of speck and thinly sliced mushrooms. Bake for about 10 minutes until the base is crisp and the cheese is bubbling and melted.
Notes
This recipe was developed using metric measurements; imperial values are approximate.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in most recipes unless noted.
- All vegetables are medium-sized unless stated otherwise.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation and should be used as a guide only.
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