Tomato Mozzarella Pizza

Ingredients

• 250 g Italian type 00 flour (For the biga, high-quality flour)
• 125 g Water (Warm water (30 °C) for the biga)
• 3 g Dry baker's yeast (Active yeast, to dissolve in warm water)
• 5 g Malt flakes (Adds color and flavor to the dough)
• 180 g Additional water (Cold water for the final dough)
• 1000 g Ripe (old) tomatoes (Can be slightly wilted tomatoes, perfect for roasting)
• 2 gousses Garlic cloves (Peeled, not crushed to avoid burning)
• 30 ml Extra virgin olive oil (To drizzle the tomatoes before roasting)
• 2 g Dried oregano (Sprinkled on the tomatoes before the oven)
• 200 g Cow's mozzarella (Melting mozzarella, cut into cubes)
• 200 ml Whole liquid cream (For the espuma, 35% fat)
• 150 ml Whole milk (Base for the mozzarella foam)
• 2 feuilles Gelatin sheets (About 4 g, to soak in cold water)
• 100 g Mortadella (Thinly sliced, meat option)
• 30 g Sliced almonds (Lightly toasted, for crunch)
• 10 feuilles Fresh basil (Added just before serving)
• to taste Salt (Seasoning)
• to taste Ground black pepper (Seasoning)

Instructions

1. Prepare the biga

   Mix 250 g Italian flour, 125 g warm water (30 °C) and 3 g dry yeast. Stir until a homogeneous dough forms.

   Time: PT10M

2. Biga fermentation

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a cloth and let rest at room temperature for at least 8 hours (or overnight).

   Time: PT8H

3. Prepare the final dough

   In a large bowl, incorporate the biga, 180 g cold water, 5 g malt flakes and knead by hand or with a mixer until a very sticky and elastic dough forms (about 15 minutes).

   Time: PT15M

4. First rise of the dough

   Lightly oil the bowl, cover and let the dough rise for 1 hour at room temperature.

   Time: PT1H

5. Prepare the tomato coulis

   Cut the tomatoes into quarters, place them on a baking sheet, add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 g dried oregano, 30 ml olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

   Time: PT15M

6. Roast the tomatoes

   Bake the sheet at 180 °C for 45 minutes until the tomatoes are well caramelized and slightly wilted.

   Time: PT45M

   Temperature: 180°C

7. Blend and strain the coulis

   Transfer the roasted tomatoes to the blender, blend until smooth, then pass through a sieve to remove skins and seeds.

   Time: PT5M

8. Prepare the mozzarella espuma

   Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water. Heat 150 ml milk over low heat (do not boil) then add 200 g mozzarella pieces, let melt while stirring. Blend, add the squeezed gelatin, incorporate 200 ml cream, strain again and pour the mixture into the siphon. Charge with an N2O cartridge.

   Time: PT20M

9. Preheat the oven and create steam

   Preheat the oven to 250 °C (or the maximum available). Place a baking dish filled with water on the bottom of the oven to generate steam during cooking.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 250°C

10. Assemble the pizza

    Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a round shape, spread the tomato coulis, distribute the mortadella, sprinkle the sliced almonds, then spray the mozzarella espuma using the siphon. Add a few fresh basil leaves.

    Time: PT10M

11. Bake the pizza

    Bake the pizza directly on the stone or hot sheet for 3 minutes until the crust is golden and the espuma forms small bubbles.

    Time: PT3M

    Temperature: 250°C

12. Rest and serve

    Remove the pizza, drizzle with olive oil if desired, let rest for 5 minutes, then cut and serve immediately.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

850

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

90 g

Fat

35 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Italian type 00 flour: All-purpose flour
• Instead of Dry baker's yeast: Fresh yeast
• Instead of Malt flakes: Malt powder
• Instead of Ripe (old) tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes
• Instead of Garlic cloves: Garlic powder (½ tsp)
• Instead of Extra virgin olive oil: Sunflower oil
• Instead of Dried oregano: Provençal herbs
• Instead of Cow's mozzarella: Buffalo mozzarella
• Instead of Whole liquid cream: Heavy cream
• Instead of Whole milk: Semi-skimmed milk
• Instead of Gelatin sheets: Powdered gelatin (1 g)
• Instead of Mortadella: Parma ham
• Instead of Sliced almonds: Crushed pistachios
• Instead of Fresh basil: Fresh oregano

Equipment Needed

• Large bowl for the biga
• Kitchen scale
• Stand mixer or wooden spoon
• Plastic wrap or clean cloth
• Baking sheet
• Home oven
• Immersion blender or food processor
• Fine sieve or strainer
• Whipped cream siphon
• N2O gas cartridge
• Silicone spatula
• Pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) (optional)
• Chef's knife and cutting board
• Small saucepan for heating milk
• Whisk

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Activation de la levure dans la biga
• Hydratation correcte de la pâte (ne pas ajouter de farine supplémentaire)
• Dissolution complète de la gélatine dans le mélange mozzarella‑lait
• Cuisson ultra‑rapide à 250 °C pour obtenir une croûte bien gonflée

Chef Tips from the Video

• Utiliser une pierre à pizza préchauffée pour un meilleur « snap » de la croûte
• Créer de la vapeur avec le plat d’eau au fond du four pour obtenir l’effet « mayard » (caramélisation rapide)
• Ne jamais faire bouillir la crème afin de préserver son pouvoir émulsifiant
• Saupoudrer légèrement de sel sur le coulis avant la cuisson pour rehausser les saveurs

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftover pizza in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 180 °C to regain crispness.

Freezer: Not recommended, the texture of the dough and espuma deteriorates.

Room temperature: Do not leave out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the biga the day before and keep it in the refrigerator
• The tomato coulis can be made 24 h ahead and kept refrigerated
• The mozzarella espuma can be prepared up to 2 hours before cooking, then keep refrigerated before siphoning