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Nancy Silverton’s Baby Pepper and Mozzarella-Stuffed Pizzette

By Nancy Silverton
By Nancy Silverton
Vegetarian

Osteria Mozza, world-renowned chef Nancy Silverton’s upscale restaurant in Los Angeles, is not only a place to indulge in a mozzarella bar, but also to enjoy her love of authentic and delicious Italian cuisine. Across a menu that offers items such as handmade pasta, beef tagliata and mozzarella tastings,...

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Method

Note

This recipe comes together quickly, but relies on pre-making a few things beforehand. Set aside time to make the marinated baby bell peppers, pesto and garlic confit before you’re ready to assemble. If you can’t find cruschi peppers, we suggest substituting any sweet, crispy Italian peppers such as Bull’s Horn or Cowhorn. 

  1. Prepare the dough according to Nancy’s Pizza Dough recipe.

  2. Fire up your pizza oven, aiming for 370 to 425 °C (700 to 800 °F) on the stone baking board inside. Use an infrared thermometer to quickly and accurately check the temperature of the middle of your stone

  3. Place a dough ball on your lightly-floured work surface. With your fingers, push the air from the centre out to the edge using the dimpling technique. (The goal here is not to get a cornicione, but to stop the dough from rising too much in the oven.) Stretch the dough out to a 6-inch (15-centimetre) round base.

  4. Lightly dust your peel with semolina flour; lay the stretched dough over the peel. (Feel free to add your second pizzette to the peel as well)

  5. Brush the dough with olive oil and season the entire surface with salt. Launch the dough into your oven and cook with the flame on until the dough begins to rise, about 30 seconds. Turn the flames off and rotate the dough for an even bake, cooking another 30 seconds or so in the ambient heat. Turn the flames on once more and cook until golden in colour, about 1 minute. 

  6. Remove the dough from the oven and let cool completely; cut off the top ends.

    Tip: You can save the ends of the pizzette, then toss them in extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt, and rebake for your own ‘pizzette ends’ just like those in Nancy’s restaurant.

  7. Slice open your pizzette with a knife, but don’t cut all the way through (just as you might with a pita).

  8. Slice open your pizzette with a knife, but don’t cut all the way through (just as you might with a pita).

  9. With a squeeze bottle, season the bread with olive oil and salt, to taste.

  10. Stuff the sandwich with 2 leaves of red chicory, followed by a drizzle of olive oil and salt, 2 baby peppers, 2 garlic cloves, 2 Cruschi peppers, 2 mozzarella balls dipped in pesto, and 2 fresh basil leaves. Repeat the layering process. For the final layer, feel free to add more ingredients for a visible garnish.

  11. If you fired up only one pizzette at a time, repeat the same process for the second pizzette; otherwise, serve and enjoy!

Nancy Silverton

Eight-time cookbook author, chef, artisanal bread maker and co-owner of Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, as well as Pizzette, Osteria Mozza, Mozza2Go and chi SPACCA, Nancy Silverton has long been an innovative, influential and creative powerhouse. Among her many (many) accolades, in 2014 the James Beard Foundation awarded her with the title of Outstanding Chef in America. You can follow her @nancysilverton.

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