Pizza alla Pala

Name: Pizza alla Pala
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 500g Strong White Bread Flour; 400ml Cool Water; 10g Fine Sea Salt; 2g Instant Dried Yeast; 15ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for finishing; 250g Cherry Tomatoes, halved; 150g Stracciatella Cheese; 120g Prosciutto Crudo; 50g Rocket; 30g Parmesan, finely shaved; Fine Sea Salt, to taste; Semolina or Flour, for dusting

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Serves 6 470 kcal per serving Prep 30 min Cook 15 min

Ingredients

500g Strong White Bread Flour
400ml Cool Water
10g Fine Sea Salt
2g Instant Dried Yeast
15ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for finishing
250g Cherry Tomatoes, halved
150g Stracciatella Cheese
120g Prosciutto Crudo
50g Rocket
30g Parmesan, finely shaved
Fine Sea Salt, to taste
Semolina or Flour, for dusting

Instructions

Combine the flour and yeast in a large bowl, then gradually add the water while mixing until a sticky dough forms.
Add the salt and olive oil and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
Cover and leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes, then perform a series of gentle stretch-and-folds in the bowl.
Repeat the folding twice more at 30-minute intervals, then cover and refrigerate the dough overnight.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before baking and allow it to return gradually to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to its highest temperature with a pizza stone or steel inside for at least 45 minutes.
Turn the dough onto a generously floured surface and gently stretch it into a long oval or rectangular shape, taking care not to press out the air bubbles.
Transfer the dough to a floured pizza peel and arrange the halved cherry tomatoes over the surface.
Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil and season the tomatoes with a little salt.
Slide the pizza onto the hot stone or steel and bake until the base is crisp and the crust is deeply golden and blistered.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 1–2 minutes.
Spoon the stracciatella over the warm pizza, then arrange the prosciutto and rocket on top.
Finish with shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Cut into generous pieces and serve while the crust is still warm and crisp.

Tips

High hydration gives Pizza alla Pala its characteristic open, airy crumb, so avoid adding extra flour to the dough.
Handle the fermented dough very gently when shaping it to preserve the large air pockets developed during the long rise.
Add the prosciutto, stracciatella, and rocket after baking so they remain fresh and provide contrast with the hot, crisp crust.

Variations

Mortadella and Pistachio: Replace the prosciutto with mortadella and finish with stracciatella and chopped pistachios.
Vegetarian Version: Omit the prosciutto and finish the pizza with roasted vegetables, stracciatella, rocket, and Parmesan.

Storage

Pizza alla Pala is best served freshly baked. Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. For best results, remove the fresh toppings before reheating the crust in a hot oven, then add fresh rocket or cheese before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Cut into rectangular pieces and serve as part of an Italian-style lunch or informal sharing meal.
Serve with a simple tomato and rocket salad dressed with extra virgin olive oil.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pizza alla Pala?

Pizza alla Pala is a Roman-style pizza with a light, highly hydrated dough that is stretched into an elongated shape and traditionally baked directly on the oven floor using a long wooden peel.

How is Pizza alla Pala different from Pizza al Taglio?

Pizza alla Pala is typically shaped into a long oval or rectangle and baked directly on a hot surface, while Pizza al Taglio is baked in a rectangular tray and sold in cut portions.