Garlic and Fennel Mushroom Pizza Recipe

This pizza features sautéed fennel, shallot, mushrooms and garlic layered over a cheesy base. A hot steel or stone yields an intensely charred crust and deep flavor. The result is a balanced, savory pie with fresh herb notes and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. It’s a great showcase for long-fermented dough and a simple way to impress guests or treat yourself.

• 1 round homemade 72-hour pizza dough or store bought
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
• ½ cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
• Salt, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chicken stock or white wine
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon semolina flour (for the peel)
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 large handful fresh spinach

1. Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about an hour. While it rests, place your Baking Steel or pizza stone on the top rack and preheat the oven to 500°F (or as hot as it will go) for at least one hour.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the sliced shallot and fennel, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 7–10 minutes until the fennel softens and begins to caramelize.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock or white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Cook until the liquid evaporates, then remove from heat and set aside.
4. When the dough is ready, switch the oven to broil. Lightly dust a pizza peel with semolina flour. Stretch the dough into a roughly 12″ round and place it on the peel. Give the peel a gentle shake to ensure the dough moves freely.
5. Brush the dough with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle evenly with dried oregano. Scatter the shredded mozzarella over the dough, then top with the fennel and mushroom mixture.
6. To transfer the pizza, open the oven and touch the peel to the back edge of the Baking Steel. Give the peel a small, confident jerk so the pizza slides onto the steel. Work slowly and confidently as the pie settles.
7. Bake for about 90 seconds, then open the oven and rotate the pizza for even cooking. Broil for 30 seconds or until the top reaches your desired color. Return to convection bake, sprinkle on the spinach, and cook another 1–2 minutes until the spinach wilts and the crust is nicely blistered.
8. Carefully remove the pizza from the oven. Brush the crust with a little olive oil, finish with red pepper flakes to taste, slice, and serve immediately.

For the best texture and flavor, use a long-fermented dough such as a 72-hour dough. A Baking Steel or well-heated pizza stone makes a big difference: it creates rapid oven spring and those coveted charred bubbles. If you don’t have a steel, a hot pizza stone will still yield excellent results. Adjust broiling times to match your oven’s intensity—some ovens broil hotter and faster than others.