Seafood Marinara Pizza

Why this formula works

The generous seafood quantity works only when water is removed before topping. Shrimp and squid are dried, flash-seared and deliberately left underdone; wine reduces almost dry with garlic. Cooked mussel meat avoids shells on a sliced pizza. A 320 g base, thick tomato and restrained mozzarella support the load, while lemon, parsley and reserved chili keep the result vivid rather than muddy.

Honest timing

Ingredients

• mature strong pizza dough ball320 g (11.3 oz)
• thick unsalted crushed tomato160 g (5.6 oz)
• low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated120 g (4.2 oz)
• raw peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed160 g (5.6 oz)
• cleaned raw squid tubes, cut into 8 mm rings180 g (6.3 oz)
• fully cooked mussel meat, drained and checked for shell120 g (4.2 oz)
• extra-virgin olive oil, divided25 g (0.88 oz)
• garlic, finely grated15 g (0.53 oz)
• dry white wine containing sulphites40 g (1.41 oz)
• fresh lemon juice, divided30 g (1.06 oz)
• flat-leaf parsley, chopped and divided18 g (0.63 oz)
• dried oregano1.5 g
• chili flakes, divided1.5 g
• fine sea salt, divided4 g (0.14 oz)
• coarsely ground black pepper1 g

Equipment

• wide heavy skillet
• instant-read thermometer
• two trays
• pizza steel or heavy inverted sheet
• pizza peel
• digital scale
• rack

Exact method

1. 1. Preheat with the loaded-pizza table below. Keep raw shrimp and squid separate from cooked mussels and ready-to-eat herbs; pat all seafood extremely dry.
2. 2. Season shrimp and squid with 2 g salt and half the pepper. Heat 10 g oil over high heat; sear shrimp 30 seconds per side, then squid 30–40 seconds total. They should color outside but remain underdone. Cool spread out.
3. 3. Lower heat to medium. Add 10 g oil, garlic, oregano and 1 g chili for 20 seconds. Add wine and reduce until almost dry, about 90 seconds; scrape the concentrated mixture into the tomato.
4. 4. Season tomato with 1 g salt and 10 g lemon juice. Check every cooked mussel for shell fragments, then drain again. Grate mozzarella.
5. 5. Open the 320 g dough to 32 cm with a 2 cm rim. Move to a lightly dusted peel and confirm it slides.
6. 6. Spread all seasoned tomato, add mozzarella and bake for about half of the matching loaded-pizza time so the base sets before the seafood load.
7. 7. Distribute shrimp, squid and mussels in one even layer. Finish baking until shrimp are pearly-white and opaque, squid turns opaque but stays tender, mussels are steaming and the center lifts; on steel allow about 3–4 more minutes.
8. 8. Rest on a rack for 60 seconds. Add remaining 5 g oil, 20 g lemon juice, 18 g parsley, remaining 0.5 g chili, 1 g salt and remaining pepper.
9. 9. Cut into eight narrow slices, checking once more that no mussel shell is present. Serve immediately while the seafood is juicy.