The Best Truffle Pizza

A few weeks ago we visited one of our favorite Italian restaurants in San Diego, Cucina Urbana.  And to be honest, we pretty much knew in advance that we would order the same things that we always do.  But…to our surprise, the menu had changed a little bit.  It felt like it had been years since they had changed anything on the menu, and although we were slightly bummed about a few of the changes (we preferred the old octopus preparation with the chickpeas), we were excited to try some of their new options.

After surveying the menu, we decided on sharing a mushroom pizza.  But this was not your run of the mill mozzarella and mushroom pizza…it was topped with goat cheese, fried onions and truffle oil.  I pretty much knew that this was going to be a home run for me, as I am a big (edit: huge) mushroom fan.  But seriously, this pizza was killer.  So killer, that after my first bite I immediately started analyzing what was on it so that I could recreate it at home.

I kept whispering to my husband, “do you think that’s rosemary?  I think it’s rosemary,” or “these have got to be shallots, I don’t think these are yellow onions…”

Flash forward a couple of weeks, and here we are.  Yep, I put my best foot forward in terms of recipe testing, and I’ve got to be honest, I nailed it.  My apologies Cucina Urbana, but this is officially the best truffle pizza.

8 ounce Mozzarella Ball, grated on the large holes
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2-3 ounces Goat Cheese, crumbled
1/2 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, minced
10 ounces Mixed Mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in butter and oil w/ salt to taste
2 Shallots, thinly sliced and crisped up in butter and oil w/ salt to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Truffle Oil ($5 at Home Goods, TJ Maxx or the like)
1 Ball Pizza Dough (I use my ABI5 recipe, found here)
1/2 cup AP Flour / Semolina Flour (to roll out your dough with)

Step 1.  After you have pulled out all of your ingredients, and have gotten your oven nice and hot (we preheat our oven to 485° with our pizza stone on the middle rack), it’s time to roll out your dough.  (Your dough will be a lot easier to roll out if you have let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  And don’t forget to sprinkle your counter and your dough with flour as you roll it out to prevent it from sticking.)

Step 2. After your dough is rolled out to your desired shape and size, transfer it to a flour dusted pizza peel.

Step 3.  Add your toppings.  Start with a swirl of olive oil, and evenly brush it all over the crust (this is your sauce in a sense).  Then sprinkle on your parmigiano reggiano, followed by your mozzarella and goat cheeses.  Keeping everything even, top the cheese layer with your mushrooms, onions and then rosemary.

Step 4. Gently slide your pizza into the hot oven, and pray for the patience to wait while it cooks.

Step 5.  Pour yourself a glass of wine to enjoy with your pizza.

Step 6. Once the cheese has melted, and the crust has gotten bubbly and slightly browned, carefully pull your pizza out of the oven and slide it onto your pizza plate.  Immediately drizzle the pizza with the truffle oil and let it rest for 2-3 minutes before cutting into it.

Step 7. Cut your pizza.

Step 8. Race to the table.

Step 9.  Devour the best truffle pizza you have ever had.

This pizza is amazing.  (I seriously can’t say that enough!)  It has so many different flavor layers – the gooey mozzarella, the creamy, salty goat cheese, the earthy mushrooms…and of course, the aromatic and delicate truffle oil.  If you are a mushroom lover, this pizza is right up your alley.

But be warned, this baby is addictive.  I have already brought up eating it just about every day since first making it.  But, at the same time, I really wouldn’t expect any less for the best truffle pizza.