Margherita with Shimeji Mushroom Pizza
We love pizza purely for the unlimited potential for experimentation and creativity. For those looking for a unique twist on the classic margherita pizza, the addition of shimeji mushroom creates a delicious and satisfying variation to a traditional margherita pizza.
Shimeji mushrooms are native to East Asia and are commonly used to complement stir-fries, soups, hot pots, noodle and pasta dishes, and many other cooking styles, techniques, and cuisines.
Shimeji mushrooms have a savory, nutty, buttery, umami type flavour, together with a firm and slightly chewy texture which blends seamlessly with the traditional elements of a margherita pizza.
Margherita with Shimeji Mushroom Pizza
This delicious shimeji mushroom margherita pizza is a subtle, yet impactful variation of a timeless classic. To make this shimeji mushroom pizza pie you'll need a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time to prep the dough and toppings. Follow our step-by-step instructions and you'll be indulging in a slice of this shimeji margherita pizza in no time. Bon appétit! And don't forget to check out some of our other pizza recipes for inspiration for your next pie day!
Equipment
- Outdoor Pizza Oven, Pizza Steel, or Stone (if using a home oven)
- 1 frying pan
- 1 Pizza Peel
- 1 sauce ladle
- 1 wooden chopping board or peel for prep and serving
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough ball
- 1 ladle of pizza sauce
- Fresh mozzarella cheese
- Low moisture mozzarella cheese
- Grana padano cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Leafy greens of choice (we went with spinach for this pie)
- Shimeji mushrooms
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: Follow any of our dough recipes. You will need to prepare the dough at least 24 hours ahead of time.
- Prepare Sauce: We recommend our standard pizza sauce which is versatile, simple to make and is perfect for Neapolitan style pizzas. Spice up this sauce however you like, remember the best part about making pizza is the creative process!
- Prepare Cheese: Place your fresh mozzarella in a container or bowl with a paper towel at the bottom to allow some of the water to drain. Tear both the fresh mozzarella and low moisture mozzarella cheeses into medium-sized pieces. Finely grate grana padano. Set aside.
- Prepare Shimeji Mushrooms: Roughly chop your shimeji mushrooom, add to a frying pan and sauté with extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for around 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat Oven:If using an outdoor pizza like an Ooni pizza oven, aim for a temperature of 450-500°C at the center of your pizza stone. Use an infrared thermometer to ensure accuracy. It should take around 25-30 minutes to reach temperature.For a home oven, using a pizza steel or stone, place the stone or steel inside the oven and preheat to the highest temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Base: On a lightly floured surface, stretch out the dough by hand according to the steps outlined in our dough recipe. Once you're happy with the shape of the base, lightly dust your pizza peel and transfer the dough onto the peel.
- Assemble Pizza: To assemble the pizza, start by spreading a ladle of sauce in a circular motion starting at the center of the dough. Next, distribute an even combination of fresh and low moisture mozzarella over the sauce, a liberal serving of your sauteed shimeji mushrooms, along with nice drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Bake Your Pizza:If you're using an outdoor pizza oven, launch the pizza into the oven and bake for 60-90 seconds. Keep an eye on the pie and rotate every 10-15 seconds to ensure even cooking and to avoid burning.For a home oven with a pizza steel or stone, the bake time should be around 7-10 minutes.
- Serving: Once done, remove the pizza from the oven and place it on a serving board. Now it's time to enjoy your margherita with shimeji mushroom pizza!
