Chef and television personality Antonino Cannavacciuolo grew up in Vico Equense, a seaside town in Campania around 25 miles south of Naples, but now resides in Northern Italy. His restaurant Villa Crespi, which sits along Lake Orta in Piedmont, earned him two Michelin stars, and his two namesake bistros in Piedmont, located in Turin and Novara, each hold one Michelin star. Here's his recipe for stuffed escarole pizza, one of Naples' most epic treats.
Pizza with escarole by Chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo
Serves 8
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 oz. anchovies in oil
1 oz. pine nuts
½ oz yeast
½ oz raisins
2 heads of escarole salad
1 large egg yolk
garlic
milk
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
Method:
For the dough
Dissolve the brewer's yeast in ¼ cup warm water. Mix the flour with the yeast, 5/8 cup milk, and another ½ cup water. Once the ingredients are combined, add 1 Tbsp. salt and continue to knead until the mixture is smooth and compact. Form a ball and place it in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2 hours.
For the topping
Soak the raisins in water. Wash and dry the escarole, then cut it into 1″ pieces. Fry 1 garlic clove in a pan with a little oil. Once the garlic is golden-brown, remove it; add the anchovies and let them melt in the oil. Finally, add the escarole, the squeezed raisins, and the pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain the excess water and let cool.
For the pizza
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll each one out with a rolling pin. Grease a round baking sheet with a little oil and line the bottom and sides with half of the dough. Pierce holes in the bottom and finish with the topping. Close the pizza with the other half of the dough, sealing the edges well, and pierce the surface. If you want, create a small "chimney" in the center by cutting out a disc of dough with a pastry cutter. Brush with the egg yolk beaten with 1 Tbsp. milk and bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes. Let the pizza cool before serving.