Born and raised in Calabria with a passion for cooking, the Aloe brothers moved to Bologna to study economics and later went on to become the founders of the Berberè pizzeria chain. In 2010, they created their first contemporary pizzeria, which combines excellent products with special attention to interior design, resulting in restaurants as beautiful as the pizza is delicious. In addition to Bologna, they have locations in Florence, Turin, and soon also in Milan, where they will continue to serve their pizza cut into eight slices, to better balance the toppings. They use organic, stone-ground, semi-wholemeal flours, carry out a 24-hour slow leavening process at room temperature with live starter, and offer a list of toppings featuring the best ingredients in the Italian food industry. Replicating their pizza at home is impossible, but you can follow their advice to make it the best you possibly can. Here’s their recipe, and a couple of secrets for the perfect dough.
White pizza with Mora Romagnola prosciutto, burrata, and orange-infused olive oil
Ingredients
2/3 lb. pizza dough, 1/4 lb. burrata, 2.5 oz. fiordilatte mozzarella, 1 tsp. orange-infused olive oil, 1/4 lb. prosciutto crudo
For the orange-infused olive oil
10 oranges, 2 cups olive oil
Peel the oranges and remove the pith. Boil them for 1 second and immediately chill them in ice water. Dry them well and blend with the oil at the highest speed for 3 to 4 minutes. Filter through a fine strainer and store the oil.
For the dough
Everyone has their own method for making it at home. Pizza chef Matteo Aloe suggests using sourdough starter and letting the dough rise for as long as possible. If you use a fed sourdough starter, 1/4 pound may be enough to make the dough rise in 10 hours (with 2 pounds of type-1 flour). If you want to use powdered brewer’s yeast, weigh out 2 grams for 2 pounds of flour and leave it to rise for 20 hours in the fridge. In both cases, we suggest an 80% hydration range and the use of organic type-1 flour. Salt should be measured at 1 tablespoon per 2 pounds of flour. Roll out the dough on the baking tray and leave it to rest for two hours. Bake with the chopped fiordilatte mozzarella for about 15 minutes at 430°F. Once it’s baked, break open the burrata, arrange the slices of raw ham on each slice of pizza, and drizzle the orange-infused oil on top.
