The Pizza That Sounds Really Weird But Is In Fact Transcendent - Clam, Bacon and Rainbow Chard

Mmmmm, clam flesh.

I adore this pizza. I first tried it in my cast iron skillet pizza phase, but I could never really master temperature control for the stove top part. I find it easier to cook the pizza on a stove top grill, then finish it in the oven. The combination with shellfish is just delicious and probably easier for most people to handle versus pizzas with anchovies. I do however think it’s a shame when folks don’t like anchovies. They add such a depth to so many things.

Every now and then I have Stinky Pizza Night: pizza with anchovies, lots of fresh garlic, sliced green olives and mozzarella. My Petal and I used to order pizza like this except no anchovies on (her) half from Etna in North Park when she lived there years and years ago. 

Do make the effort to find rainbow chard. It’s so pretty. Mangia!

BON APPÉTIT / Recipes

Clam, Chard, and Bacon Pizza

INGREDIENTS

All-purpose flour (for dusting)

1 1-pound store-bought pizza dough

1 10-ounce can whole baby clams

4 slices thick-cut bacon (2 ounces), cut into 1'-wide pieces

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 1-pound bunch rainbow Swiss chard, center stalks removed, leaves torn, stalks sliced thinly

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 1/2' cubes (I skip the butter)

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Take the pizza dough, divide in half and form each half into a ball. With floured board and rolling pin, roll out the half and with floured hands, begin to gently pull the pizza in the air until you form a circular shape a bit smaller than the size of the grill pan. Invert a large bowl and dust it with flour. Lay the prepared dough across the bowl. This helps keep the dough stretched and from retracting. 

Heat stove top grill pan on very high heat. Give it a spray of oil and lay the half the prepared dough on the pan. After about 2 to 3 minutes, turn it over and repeat timing until the dough is about 80% cooked and has gorgeous grill marks. It will puff up quite a bit during cooking. Lay the pizza on a cookie sheet.

Drain clams, reserving liquid. Cook bacon in a 12" cast-iron skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4–5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Add garlic and shallot to drippings in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in chard stalks and 1/2 cup reserved clam liquid and cook, stirring, until chard is tender, about 2 minutes. Add leaves and saute for another 2 minutes until the leaves are slightly wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in butter, vinegar, and as many clams as you'd like. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.

Spread chard mixture over dough halves. Bake until crust is golden and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Scatter bacon and cheese over; cook just until cheese is melted, 2–3 minutes longer.