Servings: One 12" pizza Source: epicurious.com
INGREDIENTS
- 4 large garlic cloves, cut lengthwise into thirds
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; plus 2 tsp. if using conventional oven; plus more
- 1¼ cups Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes
- Kosher salt
- ½ small fennel bulb, fronds reserved, very thinly sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ball All-Purpose Pizza Dough or 12 oz. store-bought pizza dough, room temperature
- 3 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn
- ½ tsp. crushed Aleppo pepper flakes
- All-purpose flour (for dusting; if using pizza oven)
DIRECTIONS
Place 4 large garlic cloves, cut lengthwise into thirds, in a small saucepan; pour in extra-virgin olive oil to cover. Set pan over low heat and cook until garlic is softened and lightly golden, 20–30 minutes. Drain garlic in a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl; reserve oil for another use. Set garlic confit aside.
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Cook 1¼ cups Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes, undisturbed, until blistered, about 5 minutes. Season with kosher salt and cook, tossing often, until tomatoes begin to burst and release their juices, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Toss ½ small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced, with a drizzle of oil in a small bowl; season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
If using a conventional oven: Heat broiler. Heat 2 tsp. extra-virgin oil in a 12" cast-iron skillet over medium. Using lightly oiled hands, flatten 1 ball All-Purpose Pizza Dough or 12 oz. store-bought pizza dough, room temperature and gently stretch over the backs of your hands to create a 12" round. Transfer to skillet, stretching to edges of pan if needed, and cook until bottom is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to oven and broil until crust is beginning to char in spots, about 2 minutes.
Carefully remove skillet from oven (handle will be hot!). Top pizza with 3 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn, fennel, 3 Tbsp. thinly sliced drained oil-packed Calabrian chiles or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, and reserved tomatoes; season with salt. Return to oven and continue to broil until cheese is melted and crust is charred in spots, about 1 minute longer.
If using a pizza oven: Preheat to high. Lightly flour your hands and a pizza peel. Working from the center outward, stretch out dough on peel to a 12" round. Top with 3 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn, fennel, 3 Tbsp. thinly sliced drained oil-packed Calabrian chiles or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, and reserved tomatoes; season with salt. Slide pizza into pizza oven and cook, rotating occasionally, until cheese is melted and crust is charred in spots, 2–3 minutes.
Top pizza with reserved garlic confit. Scatter some fennel fronds over and season with pepper.
Do Ahead: Garlic confit can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.
