Wild Mushroom Pizza with Thyme and Oregano
Having a Breville Smart Oven Pizzaiolo in your kitchen is the next best thing to owning a wood-fired brick oven. This amazing countertop appliance cooks authentic Neapolitan-style pizza in about 2 minutes, thanks to its innovative Element IQ system that reaches temperatures of up to 750°F (399°C). In this recipe, a béchamel sauce infused with fresh oregano forms a rich base for a pizza topped with wild mushrooms and nutty-tasting fontina cheese. If you don’t have a pizzaiolo, you can use a regular oven: preheat a pizza stone at 500°F (260°C), then bake the pizza for about 8 minutes.
Ingredients
For the oregano béchamel sauce:
- 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) milk
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour for dusting- 6 oz. (185 g) pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
- 3/4 cup (3 oz./90 g) shredded fontina cheese
- 6 oz. (185 g) mixed wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, shiitakes or oyster mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
- Fresh thyme and oregano sprigs for garnish (optional)
Directions
To make the oregano béchamel sauce, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour to form a thick paste and cook, continuing to whisk, until the mixture is golden, about 1 minute. While whisking constantly, add the milk in three additions, making sure each addition is completely incorporated before adding more. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Stir in the oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper. The recipe makes about 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) béchamel sauce; you will need 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) for the pizza.
Preheat a Breville pizzaiolo to 750°F (399°C).
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough into a 10-inch (25-cm) round. Transfer the dough to a floured pizza peel. Spread 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the béchamel sauce evenly on the dough, leaving a 1-inch (2.5-cm) border uncovered. Sprinkle half of the fontina over the sauce, then spread the mushrooms in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining fontina and chopped thyme on top.
Using a pizza peel, transfer the pizza to the pizzaiolo’s pizza stone. Close the oven door and bake until the pizza crust is crispy and golden brown, 2 minutes.
Using the pizza peel, transfer the pizza to a cutting board and garnish with thyme and oregano sprigs. Cut into slices and serve warm. Makes one 10-inch (25-cm) pizza.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen