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Fennel Pancetta Pizza

Contributed by: Melinda

This one turned out to be a fluke. I saw a TV chef prepare some Fennel and Pancetta for a salad one day and it looked so good I thought it would make a good appetizer combination. I wasn't sure how to best present it, but decided to try it with some french bread. Oh My Gosh! This is absolutely delicious. So here's the way I decided to serve it to guests...

This is a delicate pizza. Be sure not to over-load the pizza. Toppings should be sparse and pizza should be lightweight.

What you need

  1. 1 recipe Pizza Dough with beer or fresh pizza dough from your local market or pizzeria (enough for two 12 inch thin crust pizzas)
  2. 1 fresh fennel bulb (sometimes labelled anise, this is in fact the bulb of the fennel plant)
  3. 1/4 lb. pancetta - try to get it as lean as possible
  4. Olive oil
  5. Cornmeal
  6. Grated romano or parmesan cheese (optional)
  7. Bechamel sauce or Olive oil sauce (ingredients follow - use steps 8 & 9 below)
  8. 4 Tbl Olive Oil
  9. 1 Tbl minced thyme or rosemary or combination
  10. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  11. 1/3 cup romano cheese, grated

How to make it

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees with the stone inside (the stone needs to be heated with the oven)
  2. Cut root end and stems/stalks from fennel bulb
  3. Chop into sections about 1 inch wide by 3 inches long (the bulb is layers and will separate)
  4. Cut pancetta slices in half
  5. Place anise/fennel pieces into a bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt - combine with pancetta pieces
  6. When oven temperature is around 375º, place anise/fennel and pancetta on a foil lined baking sheet and place in the oven
  7. Roast for about 15 minutes (keeping an eye out), until the pancetta is crispy
  8. Place olive oil, minced herb and garlic into a saucepan
  9. Place over low heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the aromas of garlic and herb intensify
  10. Remove from heat and add grated cheese
  11. Roll out pizza dough and place on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal
  12. Spread with a thin layer of Bechamel sauce or Olive oil sauce
  13. Top with roasted anise/fennel and pancetta
  14. Sprinkle with grated cheese if desired
  15. Place onto baking stone and cook until edges are lightly browned - 10-15 minutes

Questions about this recipe?

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