Perfect Your Pizza Year 1 Champion: Sean Duffield's "The Chance Seedling"
perfect your pizza
Let’s be honest, fall in New Jersey is still basically summer in South Carolina. So, when our niece returned home from Coastal Carolina University to the Jersey Shore for a fall college break she wanted to experience autumn. As a practicing vegetarian, she challenged us to come up with a fruit-focused pie that tasted like Fall. Nothing screams flannels and foliage quite like apple picking, we quickly selected the Granny Smith apple to be the star of the pizza. To pair with the apple, we chose a fall farmers market find, fennel. As we were discussing how to treat the ingredients, we realized we could do a fun play on a caramel apple. Instead of leaving the fennel raw we chose to caramelize it with some shallots and maple syrup. We included walnuts to compliment the sweetness while adding earthiness and texture.
Maria Ann “Granny” Smith cultivated the tart green apples from a chance seedling, and that seemed like a fitting name for this pizza that turned out to be a hit!
We decided to pair the Chance Seedling with the Diamond Collection Prosecco to play on apple notes while also providing a refreshing balance to the blend of cheeses.
Perfect Your Pizza Year 1 Champion: Sean Duffield’s “The Chance Seedling”
Pair with Diamond Prosecco
Recipe:
The Chance Seedling
[Apple “Pie” with Caramelized Fennel and Shallots]
Yield: 1 10-12” pizza
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 2-3 mins (@700degrees)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella (~2-3oz)
- 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan
- 1/3 cup Grated toma
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp maldon finishing salt
- 1/2 of a Granny Smith apple sliced thin (10-12 slices)
- Caramelized fennel and shallots (see recipe below)
- 1/4 cup crushed walnuts
- Semolina for dusting the peel/launching pizza
Directions:
1. Shape dough* 10-12 inches in diameter
2. Drizzle the dough with olive oil (leaving approx 1” for the crust)
3. Tear quarter size pieces of fresh mozzarella and distribute evenly
4. Sprinkle grated Parmesan
5. Grate toma cheese over top
6. Add fresh ground pepper
7. Layer the maple caramelized fennel and shallot mixture around pizza
8. Build upon that by placing the apple slices (Note: think about slicing the finished pizza each slice of pizza should have apple slices)
9. Sprinkle with crushed walnuts over top
10. Cook in high temperature oven (ie wood fired oven) for approximately 2 mins at ~750 degrees turning pizza as needed to cook evenly
11. Remove from oven and let sit on cooling rack for approx 30 secs
12. Add additional crumbled walnuts to taste (optional)
13. Garnish with fennel fronds (optional)
14. Finish with Maldon sea salt
15. Slice and enjoy!
CARAMELIZED FENNEL & SHALLOTS
Yield: enough for one 10” pizza
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10-12 mins
Ingredients:
- 1/2 shallot sliced
- 1/4 fennel bulb sliced (Optional save some fennel fronds for garnish)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp honey
Directions:
1. Combine fennel bulb and shallots in a shallow pan on low heat for 3-4 mins, stirring occasionally
2. Add 1 Tbs of pure maple syrup
3. Add 1 tsp of honey
4. Turn heat up to low-medium; continue to stir until edges begin to brown/slices begin to turn translucent
5. Remove from heat and set to the side to cool
DOUGH RECIPE
Yield: 5 baseball sized dough balls (8.5oz; 250g)
Prep: 20 mins
Proof: 22-24 hours bulk + 2 hours balled
Ingredients:
- 2 cups AP flour (350g)
- 2.5 cups 00 flour (350g)
- 1/4 cup semola flour (35g)
- 2 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups water (500g)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (for coating resting dough)
Directions:
1. Mix dry ingredients
2. Stir in ⅔ of water, until absorbed
3. Mix in remaining water until all flour is incorporated
4. Knead for approx 10 mins; dough may be sticky but no longer shaggy
5. Place in container that has enough space to allow dough to grow
6. Coat surface of dough with olive oil
7. Seal container and leave at room temp (~71) for 1-2 hours
8. Move container to refrigerator for 22-24 hours
9. Remove container and divide cold dough into 5 equal portions (~8.5oz or 250g each)
10. Place dough balls in proofing tray allow to rest for additional 2-3 hours at room temp before use
