Pizza
Pizzerias — from tiny neighborhood spots to modern Neapolitan-style restaurants — can be found almost everywhere in Slovenia. But it was not always so. Despite Slovenia’s proximity to Italy, pizza arrived in the region relatively late.
The first true pizzeria in what was then Yugoslavia opened on April 1, 1974, beside the southern entrance staircase of Ljubljana’s Maximarket passageway. Some cafés and restaurants had served pizza earlier, but this was the first establishment devoted entirely to the Italian dish. Opened by the hotel company Ilirija, the narrow little restaurant called Parma quickly became a sensation. In its early years, lines regularly stretched outside, and people sometimes waited an hour just to get a table.
By the time I was growing up, pizza had already become part of everyday life in Slovenia. My mom often made it at home, and it was always one of the lunches I looked forward to most. As a student in Ljubljana, I also went to Picerija Parma often and loved the pizza names referencing Slovenian and Yugoslav cultural life — I Cankar, Tomos, RC Elan, Tito. I always ordered the Tivoli. And although I still stop for pizza at Parma whenever I am in Ljubljana, the kind I make most often these days comes from my own oven.
Recipe
Ingredients:
Pizza Dough
368 g lukewarm water
18 g salt
3.5 g active dry yeast
613 g type “00” flour (double zero flour)
cornmeal (for baking to prevent pizza from sticking to the peel)
Tomato Sauce
30 g extra-virgin olive oil
2 minced garlic cloves
800 g canned whole plum tomatoes (I usually get San Marzano tomatoes)
2 heaped tsp sugar
8 g salt
a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
a handful of roughly chopped basil leaves
Toppings
Classic Ham and Mushroom Pizza
500–600 g grated Gouda cheese
200–250 g ham
250–300 g button mushrooms
oregano
coarse sea salt (to taste)
1 olive
Margherita
500–600 g mozzarella cheese
250–300 g cherry tomatoes
coarse sea salt (to taste)
fresh basil
Instructions:
Dough
In a bowl, combine the lukewarm water and active dry yeast, whisking briefly until dissolved. Add the flour and mix until a rough dough forms, then add the salt and continue mixing until incorporated.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until smooth, firm, and elastic. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Once risen, divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal portions. Place each piece into a separate bowl or tray, cover again, and let rest for another 30–60 minutes, until puffed and nearly doubled.
Tomato Sauce
Heat the oil in a deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook briefly, just until fragrant and golden, taking care not to burn it.
Pour the canned plum tomatoes into a bowl and crush them with a fork until broken down. Add them to the pan along with the sugar, salt, black pepper, and basil.
Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer gently for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and deeper in flavor. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Toppings
Classic Ham and Mushroom Pizza
Grate the Gouda cheese, slice the ham, and thinly slice the button mushrooms.
Once the pizza is topped, sprinkle it lightly with oregano and coarse sea salt. Add a single olive as garnish before baking.
Margherita
Grate or tear the mozzarella into smaller pieces and pat dry if very moist. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Rinse and dry the fresh basil leaves.
Once the pizza is topped, sprinkle it lightly with coarse sea salt before baking. Add the fresh basil immediately after the pizza comes out of the oven.
Pizza Preparation
Pizza Oven
Preheat your pizza oven for at least 20 minutes. Aim for a temperature between 450°C and 500°C (840–930°F).
To shape the pizza, place one dough ball onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a small disc with your fingertips. Starting from the center, carefully stretch the dough outward, letting gravity help shape it into a round.
Lightly dust your pizza peel with cornmeal, transfer the dough onto it, and add the toppings.
Slide the pizza from the peel onto the hot stone and bake for 1–2 minutes, turning every 20 seconds for even browning and charring.
Standard Home Oven
Place a baking stone in the oven and preheat for at least 45–60 minutes at the highest temperature your oven allows, usually around 250–290°C (475–550°F).
To shape the pizza, place one dough ball onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a small disc with your fingertips. Starting from the center, carefully stretch the dough outward, letting gravity help shape it into a round.
Lightly dust your pizza peel with cornmeal, transfer the dough onto it, and add the toppings.
Slide the pizza from the peel onto the hot baking stone and bake for about 4–6 minutes, depending on your oven, until the toppings are cooked and the crust is puffed and lightly browned. For extra browning, switch the oven to broil for the final 1–2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, allowing the pizza stone to reheat for 10 to 15 minutes before baking the next pizza.