A classic sausage in Italian cuisine is speck. Its exquisite flavor, where smokiness and spice aromas merge, makes this product essential in Italian cuisine. And there are a multitude of recipes for speck. In today’s post, we propose a delicious speck pizza and transport yourself to Italy with a bite!
What is speck and how is it made?
Not everything is prosciutto. In Italian cuisine, we find different types of sausages or cured meats like the delicious speck. Speck is a sausage made from pork and its origin dates back to Tyrol, an Austrian region, but also Italian, where the influence of both cultures is more than visible.
Italian speck is made from the hind legs of the pig, which are deboned and cured with salt, spices, and herbs such as bay leaf. This gives it its characteristic smoky flavor. After five months of curing, the meat is divided into pieces or “baffe,” which would be similar to our Serrano ham slices. Speck is also sold in slices, becoming a classic on meat boards and an excellent topping for any pizza.
Ingredients needed to make a Roman-style speck pizza
Do you fancy a Roman-style pizza but with speck? Below we propose a homemade pizza recipe that all family members will enjoy. Success is guaranteed!
Ingredients for the speck pizza:
For the dough: • 1 kg of strong flour • 600 ml of warm water • About 10 grams of baker’s yeast • A pinch of salt • A splash of extra virgin olive oil
Toppings for the speck pizza: • Italian speck • Fresh mozzarella • Tomato sauce • Sliced mushrooms (to taste) • An egg • Fresh spinach
Step-by-step recipe for the speck pizza
Do you feel like preparing your own smoked speck pizza? Follow this speck pizza recipe step by step, and triumph at home!
1. We make the pizza dough Although we know that this step is a bit laborious, it is entirely necessary. Because one of the secrets of a good pizza is its dough. Specifically, to make the Roman pizza dough, mix the warm water, oil, yeast, flour, and salt in a bowl. All this until you get a dough texture.
That said, it’s time to knead! In Roman pizza, they work in 10-minute intervals: ten to knead, ten to rest. This process ends when you have a soft and light dough.
Next, make a ball out of your dough, cover it with a cloth, and let it rest for 1-2 hours until it rises.
2. From the dough to the pizza It’s time to start shaping your speck pizza. Spread a little flour on your kitchen counter – so the dough doesn’t stick – and take a rolling pin to stretch that dough ball.
Oh! And during this time, preheat your oven, top and bottom, to 200 degrees Celsius.
3. Add the toppings to your homemade pizza We have our dough, it’s time to add the toppings to the speck pizza. Starting with the tomato sauce and continuing with the mushrooms, the egg in the middle, and, of course, the mozzarella or cheese of your choice.
4. Pay attention during baking We put the pizza in the oven and bake for about fifteen minutes. Check if the dough is cooked underneath and crispy. If not, wait a little longer!
5. Speck and fresh spinach: the final touch to our pizza We take out our pizza, and it’s time to add the speck! It will be amazing, you’ll see. You can also add some fresh spinach leaves, which will bring a green touch to your dish. And if you don’t like spinach, you can substitute this vegetable topping for your pizza with fresh basil, which will not only add flavor but also aroma to your dish! Video of the speck pizza recipe A picture is worth a thousand words. Here’s a speck pizza recipe to surprise your loved ones: What kind of cheese should I use on my speck pizza? If we want to enhance the flavor of the speck, it’s necessary to use mild cheeses. That’s why a strong cheese like gorgonzola should be ruled out. For our pizza, we have chosen Fior di Latte mozzarella, which not only complements the flavor but also offers creaminess to the recipe. The same would happen with fresh burrata or, if you like, ricotta is also a fresh cheese that goes well with speck. Come to our restaurants to enjoy many dishes with speck
At La Mafia se sienta a la mesa, we don’t have this dish on the menu, but we do have other delicious dishes where speck is the star. This is the case, for example, with our Tuscan charcuterie board. And enjoy speck alongside other Italian charcuterie such as Bologna mortadella or bresaola.
In addition, you can delight yourself with our focaccia with pomodorini and burrata, which also comes with speck and an incredible pesto oil. But if you’re in the mood for a salad, we’ve got you covered! La Mafia’s fresh affumicata salad includes cheese, nuts, peach, and, of course, speck. Visit one of our La Mafia restaurants now and try this 100% Italian cured meat. Buon appetito!