Il Circolo del Forno
It is said that a young pizzaiolo, tired of the usual traditions, decided to embark on a journey to the misty cliffs of Galicia. There, amid the pastures battered by the Atlantic winds, he discovered Rubia Gallega, a meat with an ancient character and deep flavor. Bringing back a precious cut of picanha, he returned to his homeland, where the Sicilian orange groves were in full bloom. On a full moon night, he combined the savory Maremma flavor of the meat with the citrus sweetness of the Sicilian oil and the freshness of arugula. Thus was born The Gold of Galicia: a pizza that speaks of journeys, encounters, and flavors that cross borders.
A completely cold pizza: the high-hydration dough (70%) bakes white at 280–300 °C, then all the ingredients are laid raw. The carpaccio of Picanha from Rubia Gallega — top-quality Galician beef — is sliced very thin and spread over the warm base, where the edges just start to cook from the residual heat.
In short
- Total time: 24 hours (including cold maturation)
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Hydration: 70%
- Rising: 24 hours with cold maturation, dry brewer's yeast
- Result: crispy white base, Rubia Gallega carpaccio, creamy stracciatella, onion chips
- Equipment: baking stone, mandolin for onion, oven at 280–300 °C (535–570 °F)
Ingredients
Dough (high hydration 70%)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Type 0 flour W280-300 | 21 oz (600 g) | |
| Cold water | 1¾ cups (420 ml / 420 g) | 70% hydration |
| Fine salt | about 3 tsp (18 g) | |
| Dry brewer's yeast | 1 tsp (3 g) | |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 4 tsp (20 ml) |
Toppings (all cold)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Carpaccio of Picanha from Rubia Gallega | 7 oz (200 g) | sliced very thin |
| Burrata stracciatella | 10½ oz (300 g) | |
| Golden onion | 2 medium | for the chips |
| Rice flour | to taste | for dusting the chips |
| Wild arugula | 1 bunch | fresh |
| Orange-infused extra virgin olive oil | to taste | for finishing |
| Whole black pepper | to taste | freshly ground |
Procedure
- 1Dough
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the cold water, mixing well. Gradually add the flour, incorporating it with your hands or a spoon until you have a rough mixture. Add the salt and then the extra virgin olive oil. Perform three sets of folds at 20-minute intervals: each time, stretch the dough, fold the edges towards the center, rotate 90°, and repeat. Cover the container and transfer it to the refrigerator for 24 hours of slow maturation.
- 2Proofing and dividing doughs
Remove the dough from the refrigerator 3 hours before baking. Divide into 4 pieces of about 8.8 oz (250 g) each. Shape them on a surface with a drizzle of oil, cover them with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and let them rest at room temperature (72-75°F or 22-24°C) until rolling out.
- 3Onion chips
Slice the golden onion very thinly using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Dust the rings with rice flour, shaking off the excess. Fry in oil at 320 °F (160 °C) for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until uniformly golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and let cool — they become even crispier as they cool. Lightly salt.
- 4Preheat the oven
Place a baking stone or an inverted baking sheet in the oven and crank it to the highest temperature possible — ideally 570 °F (280-300 °C) static — for at least 45-60 minutes. The hotter the oven, the crispier the base and the more developed the crust will be.
- 5Stretching and baking the white base
Roll out each dough ball on a surface dusted with fine semolina, gently widening it from the center to the edges while leaving a border of 0.6-0.8 inches (1.5-2 cm). The pizza is white: do not add any toppings before baking. Bake one pizza at a time on the hot surface and cook for 10-12 minutes until the crust is well developed and golden with some dark spots typical of high temperature.
- 6Cold finishing and serving
As soon as the pizza comes out of the oven, add in the following order: first the burrata stracciatella spooned on top, then the slices of Rubia Gallega carpaccio laid cold on the hot surface, wild arugula, and crispy onion chips. Finish with a generous drizzle of orange extra virgin olive oil and a hearty grind of fresh black pepper. Serve immediately.
Technical notes
- Rubia Gallega — the meat: if you can't find Rubia Gallega Picanha, use an alternative with good marbling like Piedmont Fassona or a more accessible version of Wagyu. The important thing is that it is sliced very thin and served raw.
- High hydration: with 70% water, the dough will be sticky. Do not add flour during folding — work with slightly damp hands and let the long cold fermentation develop structure and strength.
- Orange oil: you can prepare it at home by infusing the zest of 1 untreated orange in 3.4 oz (100 ml) of EVO oil at room temperature for 48 hours. Strain before using.
- Raw carpaccio: the meat should never be cooked in the oven — the residual heat from the freshly baked base is enough to warm it slightly while preserving its tenderness and flavor.
- Recommended pairing: an Albariño from the Rías Baixas or a Verdicchio from the Castles of Jesi — white wines with lively acidity and structure that balance the richness of stracciatella and the savoriness of meat.
Recipe by Il Circolo del Forno — April 2026