Duck-breast pizza

Intro. Pizza: great! Duck breast filet (F: "magret de canard", It.: "petto d'anatra"): delicious! No surpise,: I live in the duck region of France, and many - if not all - pizzerias serve "duck breast pizza". My favorite!

Preparation time: 90 minutes
Pizza dough rise time: 24 hours (3-4, if you are in a pinch)
Sauce prep time: Cook/bake time: 1 hour
Makes 2 medium size pizzas, with (hopefully) a "bubly, solid foam" Napolitan-like texture.

Last page update: July 2020

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the pizza dough:
150 grams "Tipo 00" flour - Italian, of course!
This is a hard wheat flour (or blend of multiple hard wheat varieties) that has been milled to "00" fineness - the finest on the Italian milling scale. It typically has a protein content of around 12.5%, which is slightly lower than oter wheat flours. This is important for folks with celiac disease or wheat allergy, and nice for misguided anti-gluten freaks, some of whom pay premium for gluten-free drinking water.
150 grams "unbleached all purpose & bread flour" (D: "550", F: "T55", UK: "strong white bread flour")
8 grams salt ( = 1 teaspoon)
200 ml ( = 200 gr = 3/4 cups + 4 teaspoons) lukewarm water
4 grams ( = 1 teaspoon) olive oil
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast (F: "levure de boulanger séche"). This is equivalent to about 2.75 grams of granules, but standard kitchen scales cannot measure this acurately enough - use a measuring spoon!
No: no sugar in this recipe!
Recipe makes 500 grams (1 lb + 2 oz) of dough = two 30 cm (12 inch) pizzas .

Ingredients for the tomato sauce (enough for xx pizzas; of course, can also be used for pasta)
standard xxx can (xxx grams / xx oz) tomato pulp ("polpa di pomodoro"). Or: same size can of peeled tomatoes (425 ml, 400 gr, 240 gr net/drained; and run it through blender 2-3 sec. Whatever you have in your pantry.
1 tablespoon olive oil.
Apparently, for olive oil there is a non-binary "virginity" scale...
1 tablespoon dried basil. Fresh basil is OK, but you will need more than when using dried.
1 tablespoon dried oregano. Fresh is OK, but you will need more than when using dried.
1/2-1 teaspoon garlic - minced paste is easiest, powder OK. I rarely mess with garlic cloves.
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper.
1/2 teaspoon sugar.
Recipe makes 275 ml (1+ cup) of sauce; 60 gr (2 oz.) per 30 cm (12 inch) pizza.

The ingredients for the tomato sauce

As stated above, our sauce is made with tomato pulp. This is the most coarse tomato product, also see the photos below. The standard tomato products are:

Peeled: lightly blanched tomatoes, peeled, and preserved (canned/jarred) in thin tomato sauce.
Pulp: chopped, crushed peeled tomatoes. This still contains recognizable pieces. It is used for sauces and long cooking at high temperature (stews). There is also a chunky variety: "a cubettoni" (F: "en gros morceaux")
Puree: parboiled, then sieved/strained to remove seeds & skin, then slighly concentrated (dehydrated). Per definition of the Italian government (Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policies), it is made of fresh tomatoes and may not contain whole pieces, but may contain vegetables such as carrots (botanically, tomatoes are fruits, but culinarily often considered vegetables). Salt, herbs, spices may be added.
Concentrate: this puree that has been dehydrated. Distinction is made between single, double, and triple concentrate: typ. 4.5, 5.5, and 7 kg of whole tomatoes for 1 kg of concentrate, respectively. Used to strengthen sauces and stocks.
Sauce: basically pulp or puree that is cooked with olive oil, with added cooked carrot, onion, and cellery, sometimes with basil. Often used as base for other sauces. Note: "pesto" is a sub-category of "sauce/salsa". Examples tomato-based pestos are "Sicilian pesto" and "Pantesco pesto". "Sugo": is sauce that is more vaguely defined: "a liquid condiment that enriches pasta", so it could be tomato sauce.

Note: of course, industrially product typically contain additional ingredients.

Various tomato products

Ingredients for the topping:
200 grams duck breast (F: "magret de canard") - at room temperature!
Sometimes our supermarket puts duck tenderloins (fillets; F: "aiguilettes de canard") on sale, and I use those instead. They are the duck-equivalent of chicken tenders, i.e., taken from the bottom part of the breast muscle. Duck breast meat is alreday very lean. The tenders are least fatty meat of a "fat duck". Just like chicken tenders, you have to remove the tendons. If the tenders are very thick, slice them (entirely or only the widest part) lengthwise once.
1 standard can (400 gr, 210 gr drained) of whole artichoke hearts (F: "cœurs d'artichauts").
In a bad pinch, you can use artichoke bottoms (F: "fonds d'artichauts").
2 medium sized yellow or white onions, peeled, woody stem part removed, sliced into very thin rings, rings separated by gently squeezing handfulls a handful in your fist.
xxx grams (xxx oz) grated cheese or blend of cheeses.
I prefer gruyère cheese, but you can use a ready-to-go mix of grated "pizza cheese" from the supermarket.
2-3 tablespoons dried herbs.
I simply use a standard store-bought "provençal" herb mix (F: "herbes de Provence") of thyme, rosemary (typically about 1/3 of commercial mixes ), oregano, marjoram, savory, and basil) and add a 1/2 a teaspoon of salt.
Orange blossom honey.
Orange blossom honey is by far (!) the tastiest honey on earth. Honey is an indispensable part of traditional duck pizza. You will like it! I have introduced a considerable number of people (even Germans and US Americans) to this pizza. Without exception, they were sceptical. Without exception, they have become converts after the first bite.
Optional: your favorite tomato sauce, preferable home-made (very easy, with a can of peeled tomatoes).

The ingredients for the topping

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Mixing bowl, medium size.
Mixing bowl, small size.
Wire whisk, for getting the clumps out of the flour
Even flour with non-clumping additives does clump!
Yes, you can use a flour sifter. But by the time you get your sifter ready to go, you will be done with the whisk, including cleaning it!
Cutting board
Very sharp knife (for slicing the onions into thin rings)
Kitchen scale
If you use the listed cup & spoon equivalents, always use real measuring cups and spoons - not spoons from the kitchen drawer! A teaspoon is defined as 5 ml, a tablespoon as 15 ml.
Casserole, for making the sauce.
Pizza stone. If you don't have one, just use a shallow pizza pan, xx cm / xx inch diameter..

photo: equipment

PREPARATION / DIRECTIONS

Instructions for the dough:
Method 1:
In the medium size bowl, combine the flours, salt, and yeast.
Use a wire whisk to get the clumps out of the flour - even no-clump flour will have (small) clumps!
Pour the oil and then the water over the flour mix.
Use a large sturdy fork to mix all ingredients well, incl. scraping down the sides of bowl. Push on it with the fork once in while, to incorporate the flour underneath the dough ball. It should already form a nicely elastic ball at this stage.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.
Wash your hands, then knead the dough ball with the palm of your hand, pushing away from you. Then pull the far end of the dough back onto itself, turn the folded ball a quarter turn, and repeat until all ingredients are well combined (takes about 3 minutes).
Method 2 - autolysis method, to increase flavor:
In the medium size bowl, combine only the flours.
Use a wire whisk to get the clumps out of the flour - even no-clump flour will have (small) clumps!
Pour the water over the flour mix.
Wash your hands, then knead the wet flour mix by hand (takes about 3 minutes).
Let the flour-water mix rest in the bowl for 15 minutes.
Spread the oil over the dough, sprinkle the yeast granules and salt over it.
Wash your hands, then knead the dough until all ingredients are well combined (takes about 3 minutes).
Let the dough rest in the bowl for 15 minutes.
Hand-knead the dough again for 3 minutes, then shape into a ball, cut into two equal size chunks, then shape each chunk into a ball.
Let the dough rest & rise. I use a plastic container without lid (size?? or put on ???, lightly sprinkle the inside bottom with some flour, ´put dough balls in, cover with a damp cloth.
If you started the dough too late and are now in hurry: let the dough rest & rise for 3-4 hours at room temperature (20-22 °C, 68-72 °F).
If you want more flavorful dough: let it rest & rise for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator. The longer, the better = more flavor.

Instructions for the tomato sauce:
Make ahead! Keeps well in fridge.
Casserole
cook 10-15 minutes (barely boil)
Let cool.

Instructions for making the pizza:
If you let the dough rest & rise in the refrigerator, remove it from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before you start making the pizza!
Also remove the duck meat from the refrigerator at the same time!
Prep the toppings:
Meat: may remove some fat of the duck breast (but also remember, fat = flavor), slice (thickness?). Breast vs tenders?
Onions: clean, cut, slice, separate rings
Artichoke heats: drain can, squeeze gently in fist to remove most of the water - without crushing the hearts, slice lengthwise with paring knife into 3-4 slices.
xx minutes before you start making the pizza, turn the oven on with the thermostat set to max (household oven: typ. 240 °C / 465 °F)
If you are using a pizza stone, put it ino the oven at this time! -- TBC
Place a dough ball (at room temperature!) on a heavily floured surface and stretch it with your fingertips, then use your hands to shape it into a round (smaller than the diameter of your pizza stone, or the size of your pan).
If you have are not good at this, and/or have no pizzaiolo/pizzaiola talent or ambition: use a rolling pin (sprinkled with some flour, then hand-rubbed to cover spread the flour over the entire surface of the pin).
Add the toppings.
sauce, swirl
dried herbs
artichoke hearts
onion rings
herbs
grated cheese
meat
Bake for xx minutes.
After baking a good drizzle (at least 5 tablespoons) of honey all over the pizza.

without the metal lid and not if it has gold-print on the label!

Red sauce, add grated cheese, add sliced onions, add sliced duck breast filet

Add herb & salt mix, final check before baking, after baking I drizzle with orange blossom honey - enjoy!

A beauty to behold - close up of one of "my" duck breast pizzas, professionaly made by Guiseppe "Pino" Russo

Some of my own attempts - before & after baking in my household oven

SERVING & GARNISH SUGGESTIONS

Have paper (or other) napkins at hand: the honey will get runny, and may drip off the pizza slices.

NOTES

April 2020, I created a "surf and turf" (F: "pré et marée") version of my duck breast pizza. For the "surf" part, I use a 150 gr filet of salmon (always remove the darker stripe that runs across the center - my cats are not that picky). I always have a stock of salmon filets in the freezer. I often forget to take a filet out of the freezer in time, but that is no problem: I leave it in the vacuum package and thaw it out in warm water for a couple of minutes. It is even OK when not fully thawed out´when you use it: it is easier to cut it lengthwise into strips, about 1 cm wide, < 1/2 inch. For the "turf" part, I do no always have duck breast on hand, so I also use 150-200 grams of "aiguilettes de canard" - duck tenderloins or fillets. They look like long chicken tenders made of duck meat. Just like chicken tenders: remove the tendons. If the tenders are very thick, slice them lengthwise once.

Grease your pizza pan with some olive oil. Roll out the pizza dough. Sprinkle with herb mix. Drain artichokes (if hearts: squeeze in your fist to get the water out; best done in the kitchen sink). Slice lengthwise (hearts) or across (bottoms) into 4 slices. Spread the slices at the center of the dough (out to almost half de diameter of the pan), sprinkle with herb mix. Drape the salmon slices around the artichokes. Spread the onion slices around the salmon ring, covering the rest of the dough, sprinkle with herb mix. Sprinkle the artichokes and the onion generously with grated cheeze. Drape the duck fillets over the artichokes and onion parts of the pizza. Bake at max houshold oven temp, 10-15 min. Remove from oven. Check underside of pizze - if not at least golden, bake 5 more min. The meat should not be "well done" (a waste of any good meat)! Slice. Drizzle with honey (keep napkins at hand, warm honey is very runny).

Photo: salmon filet.

My delicious "duck and salmon" pizza.

I also make a veggie pizza: tomato paste, herbs/spices/salt, sliced artichoke hearts, sliced onions and grated cheese. Sometimes with pieces of anchovies. Sometimes I spread about 100 gr (3.5 oz.) of cooked sauerkraut (about half a standard pouch of 'kraut cooked in white wine or champagne, well drained/squeezed) over the veggies. Very tasty, even more so, since I always drizzle orange blossom honey over my pizzas.