Smoked Spicy Vodka Pizza

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This smoked spicy vodka pizza is built for high heat. It combines smoked mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, and a rich, spicy vodka sauce on Neapolitan dough, finished with crispy hickory-smoked bacon after the bake for maximum flavor and texture.

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Vodka pizza isn’t traditional Neapolitan, but the technique still applies. Keeping the bake short and hot prevents the sauce from breaking, preserves structure, and lets the smoke from both the cheese and bacon come through cleanly without overpowering the pizza.

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED (scroll to full ingredient list)

• Neapolitan Pizza dough

• Pizza oven

• Small skillet

• Saucier

• Mixing Bowl

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DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: SAUCE

• Heat a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat.

• dd olive oil, then the diced onion, and cook until translucent.

• Add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.

• Deglaze with vodka.

• Stir in tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.

• Reduce heat and add heavy cream, crushed red pepper, olive oil, and butter.

• Simmer for 10 minutes.

• Remove from heat and stir in Parmigiano Reggiano and basil.

• Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.

STEP 2: BACON

• Dice the bacon and cook in a skillet over medium heat until crisp.

• Transfer to a plate and set aside.

STEP 3: STRETCH

• Stretch the dough to about 10 inches, leaving a defined rim.

STEP 4: BUILD

• Lightly drizzle olive oil over the dough.

• Add about 1/2 cup of spicy vodka sauce, keeping it off the rim.

• Top with cubed smoked mozzarella and cubed fresh mozzarella.

STEP 5: BAKE

• Pizza oven method:

  Bake at 800–900°F for 60–90 seconds, rotating as needed, until the crust is puffed and charred and the cheese is melted.

  
  

  Alternate method — home oven with pizza steel:

  Place a pizza steel 8–10 inches below the broiler. Preheat the oven to 550°F for at least 45 minutes. Load the pizza directly onto the steel and bake at 550°F for 6–7 minutes until the crust begins to brown. Switch on the broiler for 1–2 minutes until the cheese bubbles and blisters.

STEP 6: FINISH

• Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately top with the cooked diced bacon.

• Slice and serve hot.

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INGREDIENTS

Makes 4-5 servings

PIZZA

• Neapolitan pizza dough

• Spicy vodka sauce

• 8 oz smoked mozzarella, cubed

• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed and drained

• Hickory-smoked thick-cut bacon, cooked and diced

• Olive oil

SPICY VODKA SAUCE (makes about 3 cups)

• 1 small white onion, diced

• 9 oz tomato paste

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 fl oz vodka (6 TBSP)

• 1 tsp crushed red pepper

• 1.5 cups heavy cream

• 6 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

• 3 TBSP unsalted butter

• 1.5 cups Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (about 120 g)

• 3 TBSP fresh basil, chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

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