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Combining two classic pizzas to create one ultimate one! This white clam roasted garlic pizza with garlic ricotta sauce, sweet clams, fresh mozzarella, and white wine sauce is an Italian seafood paradise!
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What makes this dish special
When I landed a job as a research and development chef, one of the first meals we prepared was a clam pizza on naan dough. I had never tasted clam pizza before, so I was immediately intrigued. The dish was straightforward with a white cheese sauce and canned clams, but it was delicious. Fast forward many years later, and I'm suddenly thinking about that pizza again.
And so, I decided to make my version, but make it even better with the help of roasted garlic and fresh clams. Make a roasted garlic ricotta sauce and spread it on pizza dough along with fresh mozzarella. While that's baking in the oven, cook fresh clams in a bright white wine broth and reduce the broth to make a finishing sauce. Top the pizza with the steamed clams, drizzle that beautiful sauce, and lunch is served! This white clam roasted garlic pizza checks off all the boxes: cheesy, briny, salty, savory, and tasty! It's so good that it's currently rivaling my other top 3 favorite pizzas right now: bagna cauda pizza, tricolore salad pizza, and yellow margherita pizza.
Recipe
White Clam Roasted Garlic Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 pounds pizza dough divided in half
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 pounds fresh clams
- 5 sprigs thyme
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut head of garlic to expose the top. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap garlic in alunimum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Remove foil and squeeze out garlic cloves.
- Increase oven to temperature to 550 degrees. Heat pizza stone if using.
- In a medium bowl, add 8 cloves roasted garlic and mash with a fork. Add ricotta, dried oregano and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large deep pan over medium heat. Add minced shallot, garlic, and red chili flakes and saute for 1 minute or until softened. Add clams, thyme, and white wine, and cover the pot. Bring to a boil and continue to simmer until clams open, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove clams with a slotted spoon and set aside. Continue to simmer clam juices until reduced by half. Add butter and season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
- When clams are cool enough to touch, remove the meat from the shells. Roughly chop clam meat.
- Roll out pizza dough into a 12-inch circle using your hands. Tear mozzarella into smaller pieces and top pizza with 4 ounces of cheese. Place dollops of half of the garlic ricotta on top. Bake pizza for 7-8 minutes or until cheese is lightly charred and crust is golden brown. Repeat with remaining pizza dough, cheese, and garlic ricotta.
- Top pizza with cooked clams and drizzle clam sauce on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make ricotta sauce
Ready to make some white clam roasted garlic pizza? Let's get to it! We're going to start by making the ricotta sauce. Cut the head of garlic to expose the top and drizzle it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. We're not using the entire bulb, but it's easiest to roast garlic when you roast the entire bulb.
Season the garlic with salt and pepper and wrap it in aluminum foil. Roast it for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Then, let it cool slightly before squeezing out the roasted garlic cloves. You can roast the garlic up to 3 days in advance.
In a medium bowl, mash 8 cloves of the roasted garlic with a fork, reserving the remaining roasted garlic for another use. Add ricotta cheese, dried oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and set it aside, allowing the flavors to meld.
Step 2: Cook the clams
Now it's time to prepare the clams. Heat oil in a large deep pan over medium heat. Add minced shallots, garlic cloves, and red chili flakes, and saute just until aromatic. Then, add the fresh clams, thyme sprigs, and a generous pour of dry white wine.
You know the saying, "Don't cook with wine you wouldn't drink?" That also applies here. The wine adds flavor to the broth, so if you use one that doesn't taste good, you'll be able to notice it in the finishing sauce.
Simmer the clams until they open, releasing their succulent juices and enhancing the broth even more. Remove the clams with a slotted spoon and set them aside.
Next, bring the broth to a simmer and reduce the liquid to intensify the flavors. Once it's reduced by half, add a touch of butter, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a final seasoning of salt and pepper.
While the broth is reducing, remove the clam meat from the shell, discarding the shells. Roughly chop the clams and keep them warm while you prepare the pizza.
Step 3: Bake pizza
If you have a pizza stone, this would be a great opportunity to use it. Just make sure to preheat it for at least one hour. If you don't have a pizza stone, you can also use a baking sheet, flipping it over to use the bottom. Preheat the baking sheet for 10 minutes before using.
Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-inch circle using your hands. Tear the fresh mozzarella into smaller pieces and place 4 ounces of the cheese on top of the pizza dough. Dollop half of the garlic ricotta mixture on top and bake the pizza for 7-8 minutes until the cheese is lightly charred and the crust is golden brown.
While the first pizza is in the oven, I like to prepare the second pizza. That way, as soon as the first one comes out of the oven, you can pop the second one in.
Step 4: Finishing touches
As soon as the pizza comes out of the oven, top it with the chopped clams. Drizzle some of that beautiful sauce on top and finish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.
This recipe takes pizza night to a whole new level, showcasing the unique combination of clams, roasted garlic, ricotta sauce, and fresh herbs. From the comforting aroma of the roasting garlic to the satisfying crunch of the perfectly baked crust, every step of the process is a celebration of flavor and texture.
And hopefully, when you try this white clam roasted garlic pizza, you'll share the feeling!
For another delicious pizza recipe, check out this burrata and prosciutto french bread pizza and marry me chicken pizza!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: You can prepare the garlic ricotta sauce ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Give it a quick stir before using it on the pizza.
- Store: Wrap the pizza tightly or store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven before serving. The pizza can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
More Italian seafood recipes
Looking for more Italian seafood dishes? Try these:
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