Great White

Prep (a few hours ahead)

1. Dry the fresh mozzarella. Tear each slice into 3–4 jagged, thumb-tip-sized chunks. Spread them on 3 layers of paper towels, pat the tops dry and leave them uncovered in the fridge for a few hours.
2. Make the garlic oil. Stir the garlic into the olive oil and leave it at room temperature to infuse. Use it the same day; don’t store garlic oil.
3. Whip the ricotta. Stir the ricotta with a tiny splash of milk, a pinch of black pepper, and a pinch of salt until smooth and fluffy. Taste it: it should taste seasoned, not like plain cream. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before building so it’s not ice-cold in the middle after a short bake.

Build

1. Stretch the dough ball to 12 inches, keeping the center very thin and leaving a puffy rim.
2. Oil. Brush a thin, even layer of garlic oil over the dough, leaving the rim bare. Don’t let it puddle; you won’t need all of it.
3. The crunch layer. Sprinkle the parmesan and pecorino generously over the oil. It soaks up the oil and stops the toppings from sliding.
4. The melt layer. A thin layer of shredded mozzarella, then the dried fresh mozzarella chunks scattered on top.
5. Ricotta clouds. 6–8 dollops of about 1 teaspoon each, spaced like a clock face with one in the middle.
6. Basil. Tuck a few leaves under the mozzarella chunks so they don’t burn.

Bake: outdoor oven

For an oven with the flame along one side.

1. Stone at 750–775°F, checked in the center with an infrared thermometer. That’s cooler than the Margherita. If the stone is hotter from earlier pies, turn the flame to low for a couple of minutes to let it settle.
2. Flame to low right before you launch. Launch the pizza a little off-center, 3–4 inches from the flame.
3. Leave it 20–30 seconds so the bottom sets, then turn it 180°. The side by the flame puffs and colors fast because of the fat in the cheese.
4. Then a quarter turn every 15 seconds. With no sauce, the top browns faster than a red pie.
5. Done in about 90–120 seconds, when the crust is golden with char spots and the ricotta is warm.
   • If the bottom is done but the top needs color, turn the flame to high for the last 5–10 seconds.

Finish

No lemon and no hot honey. The pecorino, black pepper and a little balsamic glaze cut through the richness, so the garlic, cheeses and ricotta can stand on their own.

1. Basil right away. Scatter torn fresh basil the moment the pizza lands on the wire rack.
2. Rest 60 seconds so the steam escapes and the crust stays crisp.
3. Pepper and salt. Crack black pepper over the ricotta dollops and add a touch of flaky sea salt on the rim.
4. Balsamic glaze. Finish with a light drizzle over the top.