This outstanding recipe comes from Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook by Alice Waters and the Cooks of the famous Chez Panisse Cafe in Berkeley, California. The Chez Panisse Cafe opened in 1980 above the more formal Chez Panisse restaurant.

This pizzetta is perfect for a Sunday brunch where everyone can design their own pizzetta with their desired toppings. The Chefs make a few suggestions: try shaving a white truffle over the top (if available) or simply drizzle with some white truffle oil. Or add a layer of cooked broccoli raab, seasoned with garlic and hot pepper.

Chez Panisse suggests keeping it simple by starting with a mixed leaf salad!

The Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook is available for purchase at our CBC bookshop. If all this seems like too much work, then try out our outstanding Sunday Brunch at the CBC where our chef’s have our own version of this pizzatta served up.

Ingredients: (makes 1 individual pizza; serves 1) One 4 -ounce portion Pizza Dough 1 garlic clove, chopped fine Extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper 1/2 small onion, sliced thin 1 and 1/2 tablespoons grated mozzarella 1 and 1/2 tablespoons grated fontina 1 egg 2 slices prosciutto di Parma 1 teaspoon chopped parsley Optional: 1 white truffle, or white truffle oil

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 500 degree Fahrenheit and set a pizza stone on the middle rack. If you do not have a pizza stone, you can use a well oiled and floured pizza baking tin and place on the middle rack of the oven once prepared.

Preheat the oven to 500 degree Fahrenheit and set a pizza stone on the middle rack. If you do not have a pizza stone, you can use a well oiled and floured pizza baking tin and place on the middle rack of the oven once prepared.

Preheat the oven to 500 degree Fahrenheit and set a pizza stone on the middle rack. If you do not have a pizza stone, you can use a well oiled and floured pizza baking tin and place on the middle rack of the oven once prepared.

Roll out the dough into an 8 to 9 inch circle and place on a well-floured peel. In small bowl, cover the garlic with olive oil. Brush oil and garlic over the dough with a soft-bristled pastry brush. Season with salt and pepper. Evenly distribute the onion slices over the surface, leaving a 1/2″ border of dough uncovered. Evenly sprinkle the grated mozzarella and fontina over the onion.

Slide the pizzetta onto the stone in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes. Slide out the oven rack; crack the egg directly onto the pizzetta, as if you were frying it. Slide the pizzetta back in the oven and continue baking until the edges of the crust are golden brown and the egg yolk still a little runny.

Carefully remove the pizzetta from the oven. Drape the slices of prosciutto over the pizzetta, leaving the egg exposed. Drizzle a little olive oil over the egg, sprinkle the pizzetta with parsley, and shave the truffle, if you have one, over the pizzetta as generously as you wish. Alternatively, drizzle on some white truffle oil. Here is where you can get creative and add whatever topping you feel will satisfy your taste buds.

Pizza dough recipe:
If you have the time, this recipe will make enough dough for about 6 pieces. However my suggestion is to cheat with one of my personal finds, Sainsbury’s pizza dough mix, where you just add water and with floured hands mold into individual pizza doughs which are fantastic.

Ingredients for pizza dough:
Sponge:
2 teaspoons dry yeast
3/4 cup lukewarm water
2/3 cup bread flour

Dry Ingredients:
4 cups unbleached white flour
1/4 cup rye flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil

Preparation for Pizza dough: (can be prepared in advance and frozen)

To make the sponge, dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup lukewarm water and stir in the 2/3 cup bread flour. Allow this mixture to sit until quite bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Mix together the white flour, rye flour, and salt in another bowl. Stir 1 cup of cold water and 1 cup of these dry ingredients into the sponge. Mix thoroughly and let sit for another 30 minutes.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and the olive oil and knead, by hand or in an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead until the dough is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. It may be necessary to add more flour if the dough is too wet, but add only enough flour to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. A very soft, moist dough makes the best crust.

Put the dough in a large bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours. For an even better tasting, more subtle dough, let the dough rise slowly overnight in the refrigerator.

Punch down the dough and divide into portions, 4-ounce balls for pizzettas and 7-ounce balls for standard pizzas. Form each portion into a nice smooth sphere. Allow the dough balls to rest at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, for an hour or so before shaping and baking. Individual dough balls may also be frozen, then thawed overnight.