Making pizza with a lava stone provides the perfect excuse for awakening your inner pizzaiolo. It's no secret that home ovens don't reach the high temperatures that characterize professional pizza ovens, but the lava stone compensates for the temperate difference by packing and evenly distributing heat. It results in an exquisite, evenly cooked crust that's on par with some of the finest pies fired up by the pros. Plus, you can serve the pizza on the lava stone itself, which retains heat for around 30 minutes, rendering any second helpings just as warm as the first.
Here's a recipe for making pizza on a lava stone that's simple and delicious. Try this recipe for the pizza dough.
Pizza With Peppers, Olives, and Capers
Photo: Riccardo Lettieri, Styling: Beatrice Prada
Recipe: Joëlle Néderlants
Skill Level: Intermediate
Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients for 1 pizza
9 oz./250 g. pizza dough
4 oz./100 g. peeled tomatoes
15 pitted Taggiasca olives
½ roasted red pepper
½ roasted yellow pepper
desalted capers
garlic
extra-virgin olive oil
dried oregano in clumps
salt
Heat up the oven to 485°F/250°C. Heat the lava stone on the stove.
Combine the peeled tomatoes with ½ garlic clover, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, a sprig of oregano, and a pinch of salt, and blend.
Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface.
When rolled out, spread the tomato mixture atop the dough.
Transfer the pizza to a pizza peel. Alternatively, you can roll out the dough directly on floured baking paper and then transfer the paper directly to the stone.
Place the pizza on the lava stone and cook over heat for 3-5 minutes. Next, place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 485°F/250°C. Add the sliced peppers, olives, capers, and a few sprigs of oregano. Complete with a drizzle of oil and continue cooking for another 8 minutes, until golden brown.