Go Back Email Link
+ servings
New Haven White Clam Pizza

New Haven Style White Clam Apizza Recipe

Todd Mitchell
This pizza recipe captures the essence of the New Haven white clam pizza made at home.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
warming the dough to room temperature 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 24 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people
Calories 758 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Stand Mixer Optional
  • 1 Dough Scraper (Or spatula)
  • 1 Pizza Screen For cooking in an indoor oven
  • 1 Pizza Peel For cooking in an outdoor oven
  • 1 Deep bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces pizza dough ball (recommend Tony Gemignani's Master Dough Recipe) This will make a 12" pizza.
  • 12 ounces littleneck clams fresh - weight is with shells
  • 3 ¼ ounces clams (1 half of a 6.5 ounce can of Snows chopped ocean clams)
  • 3 ounces white wine
  • 3 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese fresh, if available
  • 1 tablespoon Pecorino Romano cheese fresh grated or shaved, if available
  • 2 ounces bacon bacon bits or chopped, cooked bacon
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
  • ½ teaspoon oregano dried
  • ½ teaspoon garlic freshly minced or jarred minced
  • 1 pinch sea salt to taste

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Remove the pizza dough from the fridge and let warm in the sealed container at room temperature until ~60°F.

Smoking the Canned Clams

  • Open the can of clams and drain.
  • Use half of the can and place in a container that can be sealed air-tight.
  • Use a smoker to infuse the clams and quickly seal the container. Set aside for 1 hour.
    Smoking the clams.
  • At this time, preheat your pizza oven.

Prepare the Fresh Clams

  • Scrub the clams under cold running water to remove any dirt or sand.
  • In a skillet, bring about 1/4 inch of white wine (or water) to a boil.
  • Add the clams, cover, and steam until they open, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Discard any clams that do not open.
  • Allow them to cool then remove the clams from their shells, chop them coarsely, and set aside.

Prepare the Pizza

  • Dust your work area and also your pizza peel with your pizza flour.
    Floured pizza peel
  • If there are large air bubbles in the dough, pinch them with your fingers to pop them.
    Pinch the air bubbles in the dough
  • Using your fingers or a dough cutter, lift the dough ball away from the bottom of the container. If the dough is very sticky, I generally dust my hands in flour and gently lift it with my fingers.
  • Transfer your dough to the dusted work surface as gently as possible – try hard not to distort the shape.

Stretch the Dough: Tony Gemignani's Method

  • Dust your hands with the same flour used to make the dough ball (or bread flour).
  • Press your hands into the center of the dough trying to leave about an inch ring around the outside. You want to make an impression in the center but leave a 3/4″ lip.
    Use your hands to begin stretching the dough.
  • Flip the dough between your hands:
    - Lay the dough across the open palm of one hand.
    - Gently flip it onto the open palm of the other hand.
    - Rotate the dough a little and repeat “a few more times”. I think 6 is as high as you should go!
    - The more gently you do this step, the more tender the final crust will be.
    Tossing the dough between your hands
  • Stretch the dough by draping it over your hands and rotating:
    - Drape the dough over your two loosely clenched fists with your fingers facing each other.
    - Move your fists apart a little (maybe 1″) and toss the dough up with both fists to turn it slightly.
    - You’re NOT THROWING the dough in the air like on TV! Just an inch in the air so that it will turn.
    Stretching NY Pizza dough
  • When the dough is thin enough to see light through it, you’ve stretched it enough. The pizza disk is probably about 12″ in diameter. If you are using a screen or pan, you can likely get this pizza up to 13" in diameter. But don't compress the outer edge to do this.
    Final pizza dough is 12" to 13" in diameter

Cook the Pizza: Outdoor Oven

  • Ensure your pizza oven is between 600°F to 650°F.
    Pizza oven should be between 600 and 650 F
  • Gently transfer to the pizza peel, which has been dusted with flour.
    Biga Pizza Dough Recipe
  • Drizzle olive oil over the pizza dough.
  • Add the garlic and oregano and use a basting brush to spread over the dough, leaving a border for the crust.
    Spread the olive oil and seasoning on the crust using a brush
  • Sprinkle the shredded or pieces of smoked mozzarella cheese over the dough.
  • Spread the clams evenly, leaving a border for the crust.
  • Add the bacon evenly over the pizza.
  • Launch the pizza into the oven.
    The white clam pizza is in the oven.
  • The pizza will take 5-6 minutes to cook, but monitor throughout. Rotate a quarter turn 4 times.
  • Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board.
    New Haven White Clam Pizza
  • Rest for 3 minutes before cutting and eat immediately.
    New Haven apizza is not all that different from Neapolitan pizza.

Cook the Pizza: Indoor Oven

  • Ensure your pizza oven is between 500°F to 550°F.
  • Oil the bottom of the pizza with olive oil. Using a basting brush to spread the oil over the dough.
    Use a basting brush to spread olive oil over the bottom of the pizza before flipping it onto the pizza screen.
  • Flip and transfer the dough oil-side-down to a pizza screen or pizza pan.
  • Gently lift and tug the edges of the pizza dough to shape the dough to be round on the screen/pan. Be careful not to tear the dough!
    Final pizza dough is 12" to 13" in diameter
  • Drizzle olive oil over the pizza dough.
  • Add the garlic and oregano and use a basting brush to spread over the dough, leaving a border for the crust.
  • Sprinkle the shredded or pieces of smoked mozzarella cheese over the dough.
  • Spread the clams evenly, leaving a border for the crust.
  • Add the bacon evenly over the pizza.
  • Place the pizza into the oven.
  • Cook the pizza for 7 minutes and rotate 180°. If you keep a pizza stone in your oven, use a spatula to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone to finish.
  • Cook for an additional 7 minutes until the cheese is golden brown. If the cheese browns very quickly, turn off the oven but let the pizza finish inside with the oven off.
  • Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board.
  • Rest for 3 minutes before cutting and eat immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 9ouncesCalories: 758kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 30gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 1.547mgPotassium: 115mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 414IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 265mgIron: 5mg
Keyword Pizza Dough
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!