It’s not even January 1st yet and I already need a break from all of the butter and braising of the last couple months’ cooking. Wait long enough to step up to a more nutritious plate and I think your body will do it for you. In my days off, I have only craved three things: greens, carrots and oranges. Okay, four if you count French toast from LeGrainne Cafe. I’m still human.
I think of homemade pizza as one of those perfect bridge foods, not excruciatingly earnest in a kale smoothie kind of way, and yet amenable to heaping with as many vegetables as you’re craving, especially when it’s a pan pizza. We made Alice Waters’s Pizza with Broccoli Rabe/Raab, Roasted Onion and Olives for dinner on Friday and it hit the spot — chock full of greens with exactly enough cheese and a golden fresh pizza crust that I immediately wanted to make again, like this week, before we’d even finished our first slice.
This pizza also marks a tiny, silly triumph for me, and hopefully my first step on the road to liking broccoli rabe, something everyone in the world seems charmed by but I’ve taken more reluctantly to. I generally find it too tough (in an al dente kind of way) and too bitter for me, but here, contrasted with cheese, onions roasted until they’re sweet and almost caramelized, and lightly crisped olives, its bitterness was finally blended out out by its surroundings, balanced and perfect.
Video
Pizza with Broccoli Rabe and Roasted Onions
- 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond brand kosher salt; use half of other brands)
- 1 cup lukewarm water (100° to 115°F)
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- Olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes
- 1 bundle (about 1 pound) broccoli rabe (rapini), cut into 1-inch segments (florets and heavy stems)
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1 lemon
- 16 kalamata or other black olives, pitted, roughly torn
- 6 ounces mozzarella, drained if it came in water, torn into bite-sized scraps
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese
Dough
Assembly
Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the water and olive oil and use a spoon or dough whisk (I have this one) to bring it together, stirring the mixture a few times to ensure there are no unmixed pockets of flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise until it doubles and moves a lot when jiggled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours at room temperature. If you won’t need the dough until later, you can transfer it to the fridge a little before it’s fully doubled and let it finish there for a few hours or overnight.
Meanwhile, prepare the roasted onions and broccoli rabe: Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large ovenproof skillet or baking dish, toss diced onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper or pinch of red pepper flakes. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring once midway through, until onions have softened and browned at the edges. Add broccoli rabe, garlic, and finely grated zest of the lemon to pan along with another 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and more black pepper or red pepper flakes. It’s going to be a mountainous pile of greens, but do your best to mix it with the roasted onions in the pan. Return the pan to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes, until broccoli is wilted and charred at the edges. Transfer mixture to a plate to cool a little while the dough finishes proofing.
Crank the oven temperature up to 450°F (230°C).
Assemble pizza: Coat a 12-inch (30-cm) round cast-iron skillet or a 9×13 pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil. Scrape dough into the pan, then turn it over once so it’s oiled on both sides. Dip your fingers in the oil to coat them and dimple the dough out to the edges as best as you can; it’s okay if it doesn’t fully stretch at this point. Set it aside, loosely covered, for 30 minutes to finish proofing.
Being careful not to deflate the dough, use oiled fingers to gently dimple the dough out to the edges of the pan if it’s not there already. Scatter mozzarella directly on the dough — you can safely go to the edges for this and all toppings — then spoon the roasted onion and broccoli rabe mixture over, then olives, and sprinkle pecorino on top.
Bake the pizza: For 25 to 30 minutes, until deeply golden brown at the edges and toasty on top. Yes, this baking time and temperature is correct. It sounds very long but it will imbue the edges with a satisfying crunch and the greens will be crispy and charred on top; the pizza will not be overcooked.
To serve: Squeeze juice of half the lemon over, plus more to taste. Cut into 8 wedges and eat right away.
Previously
One year ago: Robert Linxe’s Chocolate Truffles
Two years ago: Gougères and Roasted Mushrooms Stuffed With Feta, Spinach and Bacon
everything you make looks absolutely delicious! i’d have to say you’re my favourite food blogger. i subscribe to your rss feeds and love seeing a new message every time you post!
i followed the link to your prints and they look amazing!! i love them every time i see them in your posts, but i like how you put them all in one place too. i love how you supply the full sizes of the images. i love food photography and like to use it as my desktop wallpaper but it’s hard to find full sizes of good quality prints. i’m making an entire album of your prints to use for my wallpaper. :) thanks!
you’re very talented, in photography and cooking!
i’ve actually come to the conclusion that you don’t provide your full-sized prints for free. that’s too bad.
To eliminate the bitterness from broccoli rabe, blanch it for 2-3 minutes in boiling water, then drain and rinse with cool water to stop cooking. Then proceed with whatever recipe you are making. I love the stuff but you can’t just saute it in the pan from raw. Have fun – the pizza sounds great. Happy New Year!
Would you believe that I’m 40 and up until a few months ago I didn’t know what broccoli rabe was? So, not charmed by it yet. Maybe this will make me fall in love.
This looks amazing. I bet a little goat cheese would make it extra special! Yum!
My fiance loves broccoli rabe but I cannot get over the bitterness. I didn’t know that there was a way to get rid of that taste but I’ll try it sometime. The only thing I’d probably add to this is a layer of minced garlic as a first layer on the pizza dough.
I love the idea of roasted onions on a pizza. I just have to get through one last food coma – New Year’s Eve – and it’ll be “bring on the greens” (and a rainbow of vegetables) for me….
I love Alice Waters vegetable recipes.
She pairs veggies w/ eachother like fine wines.
My husband is not a broccoli rabe fan, too bitter for him.
I LOVE IT! Sauteed w/ garlic and olive oil.
On a roast pork sandwich, it’s the best!
Happy New Year Debra, I am looking forward to healthier eating and posting in 2009.
Believe me, I need it!
Best,
Stacey Snacks
Looks yummy, but I’ll pass on the rabe. I’m planning on doing it with chard or kale. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Tina — My photos aren’t available for download because, unfortunately, I need to protect myself from photo theft and make full-size high-resolution images available for free is a bit of a welcome sign. If you’re interested in a desktop wallpaper, shoot me an email (thesmitten at gmail) and I’ll be happy to send you the image you’d like.
I wish I wasn’t pizza dough challenged! :( Even the super simple pizza dough was a total fail for me.
This looks scrumptious. I don’t mind bitter greens so long as they’re paired well with complementary flavors. This veggie dish is inspiring, as I’ve got a hunk of spinach that needs to be used ASAP. Perhaps I’ll make a cheesy creamed spinach side dish for tonight’s dinner.
That looks great! But count me among those not charmed by broccoli rabe yet. Maybe I’ll try this.
I wonder how this would be without the olives. I loathe them.
so funny! i was looking at this recipe last night and thinking that i needed to try it soon. that book is amazing, the recipes are so elegant.
thanks for trying this one out!
I can’t find broccoli rabe in my area(I do live in the tundra,HaHa). What do I substitute???
So I’m not the only one that thought broccoli rabe was ‘less than charming’. Good! I felt like a foodie failure! I only tried it once and it may have not been cooked well. I’ll try Adrienne C’s technique and add it to other ingredients, such as the ones here, and see if it makes a difference. I’m always glad to be proved wrong..sometimes!
This pizza looks delicious! I have some taleggio stinking out my fridge right now which I think would go well with the broccoli.
A question, Deb: Do you put the pizza straight onto the hot stone? Or on a pizza tray, on the stone? Is there some kind of semolina dusting involved?
The flour on the pizza peel or baking pan should be enough to keep the pizza from sticking to the stone. No semolina dusting is necessary, though you can use that instead of flour if you prefer. Anyone who doesn’t have a pizza stone can bake the pizza directly on the back of the baking sheet.
This looks fabulous. I try to stay away from dairy, but half-a-cup won’t hurt anyone. Happy Holidays!
I used to eat veggie pizza all the time in college and argue that it was a “health food.” Making it on your own and controlling the amount of cheese that goes on it can only make it healthier!
Your photography, your recipes, your comments — everything is just exquisite! Happy New Year!
i just found your blog. i’m in love with it. the recipes look awesomely awesome, and i can’t wait to get started trying them out. you’re also an incredibly exciting writer. this is by far my fav food blog, and i visit a lottttt. thanks for putting it out there!
As usual, your photos don’t disappoint – this looks fantastic!
I can’t do cheese but think that this would be divine with a few slow-roasted roma tomatoes as the first layer. I second the blanching of broccoli rabe- it helps a lot. I’ve also given it a saltwater bath in an effort to remove the bitterness. Still, I would probably utilize beet greens in this recipe before broccoli rabe. That’s just me.
This looks fabulous!
I have a package of whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joe’s in my freezer. This recipe sounds fantastic for next week sometime.
BTW – I made your Boozy French Toast http://allnestor.shop/2006/12/new-years-day-2001/%3C/a%3E over the weekend at my ski house and it went over SO well. I added an extra egg and hardly measured the bailey’s (b/c seriously, could I really have added too much?) and served it with nutella and sliced banana. Not to condone binge-drinking – but it was the most PERFECT hangover breakfast ever (esp for me as the cook since all I had to do was preheat the oven, put in the pan and wait for the deliciousness to begin)
I am feeling the tug as well. Beef Wellington on Christmas put me over the edge and all I want is a salad. . . or perhaps this yummy looking pizza.
This looks soooo good. I was just thinking this morning, I’m going to need to eat something like canned soup for dinner every night for the next two weeks to make up for all the extra holiday calories.
I’m on a quest to enjoy more bitter greens, broccoli rabe being one of them. I think I could handle it in pizza form. Happy New Year!
Deb, whatever did I do without you? so far this season I have used your latke recipe (substituting sweet potatoes, yum!), gotten several friends addicted to chocolate-toffee cookies, & am very much looking forward to making this green pizza tonight!
it has seriously made my life so much easier (and yummier!) to be able to come to sk, search for a recipe, hear your endearing voice, & know that whatever I make is going to turn out well and be impressive. in short, you are awesome, and discovering you was one of the best things that happened to me in 2008. cheers.
this reminds me that i have a huge bag of brocoli stalks sitting in the fridge. i got them from a farmer’s market and it comes in super long and lean stalks. i wonder if i can use those chopped up… maybe a quiche?
Here’s how my Sicillian-American family (mom, late grandmom, aunts, cousins) deals with broccoli rabe: we cook it rather more than a Right Thinking Cook cooks a green vegetable these days. I mean, we don’t let it get grey and mushy, but we steam or boil it until it’s truly tender. Not crisp-tender. Not al dente. Bendy, but not quite soft. Then we fry a little chopped garlic in olive oil with some cracked red pepper, and add the broccoli rabe and some salt and warm it up in the oil and that is all. It comes out wonderful, and not too bitter.
Absolutely love your blog.This recipe sounds great!..Can’t wait to try it..
I had a really great dinner tonight and yet… somehow this pizza is making me wish I had this instead. Looks. So. Yummy.
I love white pizza with spinach and tomatoes. This looks like a great alternative to that.
Any advice on making pizza dough ahead and freezing it? I sometimes buy Trader Joes doughs and stick them in the freezer. Seems it should be just as easy to do the same with home made, but I’m not sure at what point in the process to freeze it! Thanks!
You can actually freeze it at any point — before the first rising, after you deflate the first rising and before you let it puff up a second time, or even after you roll it out. The only thing that matters is that you let it fully defrost and then continue where you left off. I’ve got more pizza tips in this post.
I wholeheartedly agree with adrienne and genderoles on blanching rapini. It really cuts the bitterness, and can easily be lightly sauteed afterward. What you’re left with is mild and flavourful enough to be used by itself as a sandwich filling… try it!
Yum! I freaking LOVE broccoli Rabe! Definitely gonna try this one out! Thanks a bunch of rapini!
I love home made pizza.
I made this last night and it was delicious! I could not find rabe, so I subsituted collard greens and it turned out great! Thanks SK!!
Herzliche Grüße aus Gera, Germany…
leider kann ich zu wenig Englisch reden und schreiben. Diese website finde ich sehr schön. Die fotos sind sehr gut. Sie machen appetit. Ich werde ab und zu schauen und dabei etwas Englisch lernen.
Happy New Years sendet Kerstin Jecke (Monalisa50ff)
Made it tonight, added some mustard greens in with the rabe, and subbed some habanero jam for the red pepper flakes. Also, put chunks of pecorino on top. A lot going on on that pizza, but it tasted pretty yummy. Thanks for the recipe!
Long-time reader, first-time poster here:
My boyfriend and I made this last weekend, and it was spectacular. I don’t know why it took us so long to decide to make our own pizzas, but I can’t think of a better starting place than this. Now we’re off to try all the other pizza recipes on your site. Thanks!
I made this last night with a double recipe of Really Simple Pizza Dough and just had a slice for breakfast! Mmm. Very refined pizza with the addition of herbs. I used fresh mozzarella instead of shredded. The dough turned out a little thick, so I will probably use only one serving next time, and may look for a recipe that incorporates some sweetener (perhaps your wine+honey combination). I do not have a pizza peel, so I took your advice from 10 tips and made the pizza on a cornmeal-dusted wax sheet before transferring it to the pre-heated pizza stone in the oven. I over-cornmealed a bit this time so I will keep that in mind the next. Fabulous!
This was the best pizza I’ve ever made, and some of the best I’ve ever had! I can’t get over how delicious it was. And that white wine pizza dough…amazing.
Haha, I’m just coming back to this recipe after eyeing it many times … what exactly did you mean by “heaven stems”?
Typo, funny one! It’s heavy.
Nice pizza! This is definitely one that I can pass off as “healthy”. Can’t wait to try this one out.
I love all of those onions and especially that mozzarella, I can never get enough!
I just made my first pizza ever! The dough recipe so was so easy and loved the idea on the toppings. Thanks!!!
Finally found some local broccoli rabe and made this tonight. Did add 1 1/2 sausages (removed from casings) as well. And a light sprinkle of Parmesan. Seriously addictive! Can’t wait to toy with it again.
I was similarly unpersuaded by the charms of broccoli rabe until I started not feeling bad about cutting off the giant stems, and blanching it first, whatever the recipe. Blanching seems to make it less bitter, at least for me. Now that I do that, our relationship has definitely grown closer… and “broccoli Bob” definitely shows up more frequently on my table.
The pizza was excellent and easy to make. thanks for sharing.It was the first time I made pizza with rabe.
No broccoli rabe where i live? Sub with regular broccoli? Same instructions then?
Thank you
This works with regular broccoli, kale could work too.
Can you sub in a cup4cup type GF flour for this? Thx!
I made this and loved it so much, thanks, Deb. I blanched the broccoli Rabe (for 2 minutes in boiling water)to offset the bitterness. The dough took 35 minutes to cook thoroughly. I used my 12″ cast iron skillet. I will make this again. delicious!
Made my first pizza tonight and it was so yummy!
I love broccoli raab ! Fantastic recipe! The lemon at the end was so good . Thank you
I loved the vegetable heavy idea of this, but the flavor was very one note for us. Next time I might add whole garlic cloves to roast with the onions, and do a mix of broccoli rabe and broccoli?
I made this (substituting the Skinnytaste greek yogurt pizza dough) and I thought it was very good – loved the unexpectedly lemony flavor! I do wonder if it would be even better dotted with feta, especially as a compliment to the olives.