Stinging Nettle, Garlic Confit, and Fried Egg Sourdough Pizza

I make quite a bit of pizza but haven't been great about documenting successful combinations here on the blog. Better late than never so I'm going to start with this Stinging Nettle, Garlic Confit, and Fried Egg number. This is a wonderfully balanced pizza with the perfect amount of acidity thanks to the goat feta. Drizzle a little chili oil on top and you're set.

Though the nettle season is almost over, you can substitute Bloomsdale spinach since this recipe is basically a riff on the spinach pizza from Gjelina. Spinach will have a heartier texture but the flavor profile is similar. With that said, nettles have a particularly unique flavor and are worth trying if you can find them.

I usually mix my Naturally-leavened (Sourdough) Pizza Dough on Friday night and then put it in the fridge for a Sunday bake. Using this spreadhseet, I can plug and play my way to a perfectly timed dinner. It feels pretty effortless once you get into the rhythm. Nancy Silverton's Pizza Dough from The Mozza Cookbook is also an excellent make-ahead recipe.

Recipe Tips

Yes, They Sting

You should always use gloves when handling uncooked nettles as they can irritate your skin. Plus, it's a fun party trick to see the reaction of your dinner guests when you snap on gloves to protect yourself from the pizza toppings.

High Heat Oven (800-900°F) vs. Conventional Oven (500-550°F)

As mentioned in my Sourdough Pizza Recipe, 00 flour doesn't always behave well at lower temperatures. You can give it a try, but consider yourself warned. Another great option for conventional ovens is Nancy Silverton's Pizza Dough. It's not naturally-leavened but it's definitely delicious and can be made a day or two in advance.

Nobody Likes a Soggy Pie

Fresh mozzarella is stored in water so it's important to drain the cheese before using it. Buffalo mozzarella tends to be more of an issue in this department than the cow's milk variety.

Before turning the oven on, I measure the cheese and then place it in a bowl lined with a paper towel or two. I give the cheese a gentle pat and press with the edge of the paper towel, cover the bowl with plastic, and then put it back in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Goggles

Frying eggs in extra virgin olive oil is a dangerous sport because the oil "pops". I wear my onion goggles when taking part in this activity.

Stinging Nettles at Coleman Family Farms - Santa Monica Farmers Market

Farmers | Artisans

I make an effort to source my food from California artisans with a special focus on the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Below is a list of the folks who contributed to this dish.

• Milliken Family Farms / Garlic
• Flora Bella Farm / Nettles
• Schaner Family Farms / Garlic, Nettles, Eggs
• Coleman Family Farms / Nettles
• Omma's Garden / Eggs
• Trattore Farms / Olive Oil

Tools

• Baking Steel (Conventional Oven) - This is popular in the bread baking community and I own one myself. Works well.
• Roccbox - I have owned this pizza oven for two years and use it almost every week. As can be seen in my naturally-leavened pizza posts here and here, the results are top notch. The oven is portable, easy to use, and requires virtually no maintenance. It's an investment but I highly recommend it.
• Pizza Wheel
• Disposable Gloves

Ingredients (Adapted from Gjelina)

• 8 ounce ball of pizza dough - Naturally-leavened (Sourdough) Pizza Dough or Nancy Silverton's Pizza Dough
• 2 1/2 ounces (65 grams) fresh mozzarella, see "Recipe Tips"
• 1 1/2 ounces (40 grams) Meredith Dairy's sheep and goat feta
• 4 cloves Garlic Confit + 1/2 teaspoon garlic confit oil, mashed together with a fork
• 18 grams nettle leaves
• 1 tablespoon whipping cream
• 10 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (this may be more than you need depending on your taste)
• 1 egg
• Sicilian oregano
• Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper to finish
• (Optional) Chili Oil - A drizzle is recommended.
• (Optional) Red pepper flakes work fine if you don't have chili oil though I probably wouldn't use both.

Instructions

• Turn the oven on. Both a pizza stone (conventional oven) and the Roccbox will take about 45 minutes to properly heat up.
• Measure out all of your ingredients.
• Toss the nettles in just enough extra virgin olive oil to coat (use gloves).
• Right before you stretch the dough, mise en place your egg station. Place a small non-stick skillet on the stove, add just enough extra virgin olive oil to cover the bottom (but don't turn the stove on), and crack an egg into a small ramekin. Note: In the past I've used a 50/50 split of chili oil and regular extra virgin. Chef's discretion.
• Stretch the pie skin per the instructions in this post for naturally-leavened or this post for Nancy Silverton's dough.
• Top in this order:
  • Hand-whipped tablespoon of cream
  • Mashed garlic confit and oil
  • Goat feta
  • Nettles
  • Mozzarella
• Bake for 1-2 minutes at 850°F or for 10-12 minutes at 500°F in a conventional oven.
• Top with a handful of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, some crumbled Sicilian oregano, and a few cranks of freshly ground pepper.
• While the pizza rests, turn your stove to medium-high heat.
• Once the oil is shimmering, gently pour the egg into the pan.
• Slide the egg directly from the pan to the pizza. Note: If you're worried that there's too much oil, use a paper towel to carefully and quickly blot up some of the oil before the transfer. I've done this many times without issue.
• (Optional) Chili Oil - A drizzle is recommended.
• (Optional) Red pepper flakes work fine if you don't have chili oil though I probably wouldn't use both.