How to make green garlic, new potato and gorgonzola pizza bianco

Forget your usual tomato-topped base – this recipe is all about the wonderful flavour of fresh garlic

Green garlic, new potato and gorgonzola pizza bianco

Pizza bianco makes a delicious change from the usual tomato-topped pizzas we’re used to eating. Make your own airy dough then load it up with caramelised green garlic (also called wet garlic or fresh garlic), nutty new potatoes and organic Gorgonzola cheese. Bellissimo.

Prep time: 30 mins plus time for rising
Cook time: 30 mins

For the pizza

350g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
7g fast action dried yeast
1/2 tsp caster sugar
sea salt
3 tbsp olive oil
200-250ml warm water
6 new potatoes
1 green garlic bulb
freshly ground pepper
a handful of organic gorgonzola dolce​
a few thyme leaves

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, then sift in the yeast, sprinkle in the sugar and add a small pinch of salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together to make sure the yeast, salt and sugar are evenly mixed with the flour. Drizzle in 1 tbsp olive and pour in 200ml warm water (it should be hand hot). Use your hands or a fork to mix the dough together, adding a little more warm water if it seems too dry. You should have a slightly sticky, soft dough.

Lightly dust your work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Knead for around 5 mins till the dough is smooth and supple. Don’t worry if it sticks to the work surface at the start. The more you knead, the more it should come together, so try not to add too much flour to the work surface – this will make the dough dry.

Clean the mixing bowl, then pop the dough back in it. Cover with a tea towel and leave somewhere warm to rise for 2 hours.

Thirty minutes before you want to cook your pizza, heat your oven to 250C/Fan 230C/Gas 9 and slide a baking tray into the oven to heat up. Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Scrub the potatoes and slice them into 1cm thick rounds. When the water is boiling, add the potatoes and simmer for 10 mins till the potatoes are tender. Drain well.

Trim the roots and top 4cm off the green garlic bulb. Halve it, then thinly slice the bulb and green stalk. Warm 1tbsp olive oil in a pan and add the chopped green garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes till soft and golden. Dust your work surface with a little flour and roll out the dough to make a circle about as big as a dinner plate. Carefully lay the pizza dough on a baking tray (not the one in the oven, keep that in there for later).

Lay the potato slices on the pizza dough and scatter over the green garlic. Crumble over a handful of gorgonzola. Drizzle over 1 tbsp olive oil. Place the baking tray on top of the baking tray in the oven and bake for 15-20 mins till the pizza is golden brown and risen. Sprinkle over a few fresh thyme leaves and serve in slices.

Recipe from Abel and Cole