New Haven–Style White Clam and Garlic Pizza
An authentic, thin-crust pizza topped with fresh littleneck clams, garlic-infused olive oil, oregano, and Pecorino Romano cheese, baked until perfectly charred.
Equipment
- Pizza stone or baking steel
- Pizza Peel
- Large pot with lid (for steaming clams)
- Small saucepan
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough store-bought or homemade, at room temperature
- 2 dozen fresh littleneck clams scrubbed clean
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese plus more for serving
- 2 tsp dried oregano preferably Sicilian
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
- to taste kosher salt
- for dusting semolina flour or cornmeal
Instructions
- Place a pizza stone or steel on the middle rack of your oven and preheat to the highest possible temperature (500-550°F) for at least 45 minutes. This is non-negotiable for the proper char.
- While the oven heats, steam the clams. In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, add 1/4 cup of water and the scrubbed clams. Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until the clams just open. Discard any that do not open. Remove clams from shells, reserving a few tablespoons of the briny clam liquor. Chop the clam meat roughly if large.
- In a small saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup olive oil and thinly sliced garlic. Cook over the lowest possible heat for 8-10 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and softened but not browned. Remove from heat and stir in the dried oregano and red pepper flakes (if using). This infused oil is your sauce.
- On a surface dusted with semolina flour, stretch your room-temperature dough into a 12-14 inch round, keeping the edges slightly thicker. Do not use a rolling pin; use your hands to gently stretch and press from the center outwards. The shape can be oblong—this is authentic.
- Carefully transfer the stretched dough to a pizza peel dusted with semolina. Brush the entire surface generously with the garlic-oregano oil, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Evenly distribute the chopped clams and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the reserved clam liquor. Sprinkle the grated Pecorino Romano cheese over the top.
- Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone. Bake for 8-12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the crust is deeply charred and blistered in spots and the cheese is melted. Remove, drizzle with a little fresh olive oil, and finish with an extra sprinkle of Pecorino Romano. Slice and serve immediately.
Notes
Chef's Tips:
• The dough must be at room temperature to stretch easily without springing back.
• Do not overload the pizza with toppings; the charm is in its simplicity and crisp crust.
• Serve with a simple green salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette to cut the richness.
Food Safety:
• Discard any clams that do not open after steaming.
• Refrigerate leftover pizza within 2 hours of baking.