the broken yolk

The first time I went to Paris, I traveled alone. I was 23. I stayed in a small hotel on the Boulevard Saint-Michel in the Latin Quarter and spent every day walking the streets with tears in my eyes. It was all too beautiful. I was convinced that I’d lived there in a past life (or maybe it was all those Colette novels I had read). Though my high school French almost completely failed me, I still managed to rack up some wonderful food memories. A friend, who was studying at Le Cordon Bleu, took me under his wing and introduced me to the most authentic steak tartare at a small café in the midst of the Marché aux Puces, the famed flea market of Paris. On another night, at a popular brasserie, we dove into a shimmering plateaux de fruits de mer–the brightest, briniest seafood I’d ever tasted. I splurged on international fare on my own: blinis and caviar at a Russian café near my hotel; uber-expensive sushi that almost broke my bank. But it was while strolling along the Champs Élysées, that I discovered one of my favorite tastes of that trip. In café after café, I noticed the déjeuner of choice was, of all things, pizza. This pizza resembled the Famous Ray’s I knew well, except for one thing. It had an egg on it. Sunny-side up, right there in the middle of the melted cheese and tomato sauce. Of course I had to taste it–and it was as delectable as it looked. But, surprisingly, it never occurred to me to make it myself. Until now. 

Egg and Pancetta Pizza

This is the most sumptuous pizza you ever tasted. Steaming hot out of the oven, break the yolk of the just cooked egg and let it ooze and blend with the gooey melted mozzarella, tangy tomato sauce and caramelized lardons of pancetta. You’ll wonder how you never thought to try it before.

Of course, you can always use store-bought pizza dough, but I prefer to make mine from scratch when I can. I’ve made it before using a food processor here, but I love this new technique I’ve discovered from Deb at smitten kitchen. It’s definitely worth the effort of hauling my stand mixer in from the garage, though you could use a hand mixer as well. Just be sure to plan ahead–this dough should be started the day before. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the yeast and stir in warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes (it won’t be bubbly).

Using bread flour creates a much lighter dough and, thus, a crispier crust. Add the flour and kosher salt to the bowl and mix it on low for 1 minute. Turn the mixer up to medium for 2 minutes and then increase the speed to high for 2 more minutes, until the dough pulls away from the bowl and forms a smooth ball. Be careful not to over beat.

Cut the dough in half and place each half in a small, lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat in the oil. Leave in a warm spot for 30 minutes. Cover the bowls and refrigerate overnight. About 2 hours before baking, place the 2 bowls of dough in a warm spot. They will relax, come to room temperature and puff up slightly. An hour before baking, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat to 500 degrees so it gets nice and hot.

Make the pizza sauce: in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, warm olive oil. Purée the canned tomatoes for 30 seconds in a blender and pour into hot pan. Add the smashed garlic, crushed dried thyme, crushed dried oregano and a pinch of sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Taste and add kosher salt, if needed. Set aside.

Gently roll out one of the doughs to a 12 inch round on a lightly floured surface. Drape it over your fists to lightly stretch it out before placing on a cornmeal dusted pizza peel. 

Top with half of the pizza sauce, torn slices of mozzarella cheese, half of the pancetta and 2 tablespoons of grated pecorino romano cheese. Gently (and carefully!) slide the pizza onto the hot pizza stone in the oven and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until it just begins to turn brown. While the first pizza is cooking, set up the second one. Add more cornmeal to the pizza peel, if needed.

Crack two eggs into individual small bowls and check for any shells. Pull the bottom rack of the oven out slightly and add the eggs, one at a time, to the center of the pizza; gently push the rack back in and continue to cook for 6 minutes.

When the eggs are just cooked through, use a large spatula to remove the pizza to a cutting board. Let stand for a couple of minutes, while you add the second pizza to the oven. Cut into the finished pie with a pizza wheel and dig in, but be careful–it’ll be molten hot!

 

 

Makes Two Pizzas/Serves 4:

 

Pizza Dough:

Adapted from smitten kitchen

1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons bread flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon kosher salt
olive oil for coating

 

Pizza Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil

1-28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes, pureed in a blender

1 smashed garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried thyme

pinch of sugar

kosher salt

 

Toppings:

1/3 pound pancetta

3/4 fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pecorino romano

4 extra large eggs, room temperature

cornmeal for dusting

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