In this summer pizza, thinly shaved zucchini top a thin layer of olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. As it bakes, the creamy burrata melts into the summer squash. Out of the oven, a showering of fresh basil makes it. So summery and delicious!

A zucchini, burrata, and anchovy pizza topped with fresh basil.

I have no idea if Delancey still serves the Zucchini Anchovy, but when Brandon Pettit and Molly Wizenberg were drafting their opening menu, they included it with a few other sauceless pizzas. A nod to a Roman classic, their version used thinly shaved zucchini in place of zucchini blossoms.

For our friends last Thursday, I made this with the addition of garlic and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt, something Anthony Mangieri adds to every pie he makes. This pizza is heaven, subtly flavored with anchovy, the summer squash and creamy burrata melting into every bite.

A table of ingredients for the zucchini anchovy pizza: anchovies, salt, zucchini, garlic, burrata, and olive oil.
A round of pizza dough resting on a board.

This is the beauty of the Lahey pizza dough — all of those air pockets will create the nicest texture in the finished crust:
A stretched round of Jim Lahey pizza dough on a parchment-lined peel.

A little anchovy and garlic go a long way:
A pizza dough round topped with oil, garlic, anchovy.

A round of pizza dough topped with zucchini ribbons.

A sprinkling of nice, coarse sea salt is a nice addition to any pizza:
The zucchini anchovy pizza, ready for the oven, on a parchment-lined pizza peel.

Just-baked zucchini-anchovy pizza on a pizza peel.

The beauty of the Baking Steel:
A sideview of a piece of zucchini-anchovy pizza.

The zucchini anchovy pizza on a board cut into quarters.
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the zucchini anchovy pizza

Summer Squash Pizza with Burrata and Basil

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5 from 3 reviews

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Description

Dough Source: Bon Appetit via Jim Lahey’s book: My Pizza.

Notes: As you know, I am partial to the Lahey Dough. It takes five minutes to throw together a day before you plan on baking, and it is worth every effort to plan ahead for — no other dough, in my experience, creates those beautiful air pockets. I also am partial to this Tipo 00 flour, which I order in bulk and store in the freezer. Finally, the Baking Steel creates pizzas with that beautiful oven spring in the crust and a nice crisp undercarriage.

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 7 1/2 cups all-purpose or tipo 00 flour (1000 grams) plus more for shaping dough
  • 4 teaspoons fine sea salt (I use Diamond kosher)
  • 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

For the pizza:

  • 1 anchovy, minced
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • zucchini, shaved as thinly as possible on a mandoline
  • fresh mozzarella or burrata
  • nice sea salt
  • basil leaves
  • round of pizza dough

Instructions

  1. Make the dough: Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 3 cups water; stir until well incorporated. Mix dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Transfer to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or tea towel and let dough rise at room temperature (about 72°) in a draft-free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, about 18 hours (time will vary depending on the temperature in the room).
  2. Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into 6 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions.
  3. Wrap each dough ball separately in plastic wrap and chill. Unwrap and let rest at room temperature on a lightly floured work surface, covered with a light dusting of flour for about an hour or two before shaping. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead.
  4. To Make the Pizzas: Pull out a pizza round from the fridge one hour before you plan on baking. Dust dough with flour and place on a floured work surface. Preheat oven to its hottest setting, 550°F. Gently shape dough into a 10″–12″ disk handling it as minimally as possible. Arrange dough disk on parchment-lined baking peel; top with minced anchovy and garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Pile on the shaved zucchini. Note: It’s ok to add more than you think feels right here because the zucchini shrinks down a lot. Top with roughly cubed mozzarella or burrata. Sprinkle with nice salt. Drizzle with a splash more olive oil.
  5. Bake pizza until top is blistered, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a work surface. Top with basil leaves. Slice and serve.
  • Prep Time: 20 hours
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Pizza
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American, Italian