Marcia's Clam Pizza

On a recent visit, my mom and I worked on a recipe that she has perfected down to an art form -- clam pizza. This version is white, but you could add tomatoes if you were so inclined. Use a jar of clams or shuck your own. For the cheese topping, we used a blend of mozz, parm, reggiano, and provolone from Lucca Ravioli Co. St. Louisians have their own similar version called Provel. Any flavorful white blend will do. Make your own dough or use a supermarket version.

The key is in the heat of oven. Set the temperature as high as it will go. Don't be shy - trust me. It also helps if you have a pizza stone or cast iron pan. For her method, the pizza is assembled on a metal pizza screen. The stone or cast iron stays in the oven, getting good and raging hot. Once the pizza is fully assembled, slide the whole thing, screen and all onto the stone. After baking, remove the entire apparatus. The stone or cast iron will retain heat and keep your pie warm while you devour the first few slices.

Serves 2-4

9.5 ounces clams, drained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Flour, for rolling
1 pound pizza dough (we used this whole wheat recipe)
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces "pizza" cheese
Olive oil, for drizzling

1. In a small bowl, combine the clams, dried oregano, garlic, and olive oil. Marinate for 20 minutes. (You can do this while the pizza dough is rising if you make your own.)
2. Set the oven at 550 degrees (or as high as your oven will go). Place your stone or cast iron pan in the oven on the bottom shelf.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to a circle that is 1/2 inch larger than the metal pizza screen.
4. Transfer the dough to the screen. Gently roll the edges, crimping and sealing as you go, forming the outer crust.
5. Sprinkle the clam mixture over the pizza. Season with salt and pepper. Top the pizza with cheese. Drizzle with olive oil for extra browning.
6. With the pizza on the metal screen, set the whole thing on top of the stone that has been pre-heated in the oven. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is brown and bubbling. Remove both pans from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.