Pancetta, Pea, and Mint Pizza with Pistachio Sauce

This pizza is your new best friend.

It will give a ride to the airport at a moment’s notice. It knows when something is wrong before you even say a word. It always has the next round.

I kid, of course – but this is a darn good pie.

The pistachio sauce is a nutty, subtle alternative to the more traditional aggressive red and rich white pizza bases. The salty, smokey pancetta and crisp sugar snap peas are like a see-saw, rocking your tongue gently back and forth between two flavors. Everything is bound together by mozzarella, and cut with just a hint of mint to keep things cool.

The pizza as a whole manages to be both indulgent and refreshing at the same time. As the midsummer heat begins to fade into temperate Autumn evenings, you may find yourself more attached to it than you’d care to admit.

P.S. – I know this blog has suffered from a dearth of recipes recently. We finally finished the longest legislative session in our state’s history, which means I am at long last back to my normal life. Look forward to more posts soon!

Pancetta, Pea, and Mint Pizza with Pistachio Sauce

Dough Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 dry yeast packet
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce Ingredients

• 1 cup pistachios, shelled
• 1/2 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water
• salt, to taste

Topping Ingredients

• 8 oz. of mozzarella cheese, torn into 1/2 inch cubes
• 4 oz. pancetta (I prefer the cubed varied, but thin sliced is also okay)
• 10-12 sugar snap peas, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 2 sprigs of fresh mint, finely chopped

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast and mix until evenly distributed. Slowly add the water and oil while mixing with a fork. Knead the dough until it becomes a smooth, firm ball, adding additional flour or water if it’s too sticky or dry.
2. Pour a little extra olive oil over the dough and gently coat the surface. Cover the bowl and place it in a warm area until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Puree the pistachio sauce ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. If the sauce is too thick to spread, add a dab more olive oil.
4. Saute the pancetta in a small pan on medium high heat until the fat just begins to render, about 2 minutes.
5. Roll or spread the dough out over a lightly greased baking sheet. Spread the pistachio sauce out evenly over the dough and top with the mozzarella, pancetta, and sugar snap peas.
6. Put the pizza in the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and the crust is golden brown on the outer edges. Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle the chopped mint over the top. Let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Tags: Italian, mint, Mozzarella, Pancetta, Pistachio, Pizza, Sugar Snap Peas