Homemade hommage to F&F Pizza's Partanna

F&F's Partanna pizza has become a hit with my family, so I decided to try to replicate it at home. The Partanna is a white pizza (no tomato sauce) that uses pecorino romano and mozzarella cheese, topped with Calabrian peppers, red onions, and orange blossom honey. 

If you don't know Calabrian peppers, they are small, spicy chili peppers native to Italy’s Calabria region, which is the "toe" part of the Italian "boot," They are spicier than a jalepeno - closer to a serrano pepper or chile de arbol. But they also have a fruity, sweet flavor that balances the heat.. These peppers, often referred to as Peperoncino Calabrese, are a staple in Southern Italian cuisine, used in sauces, pastas, pizzas, and infused oils.  I used Delizie di Calabria brand sliced peppers that I found at my local Italian market. 

Orange blossom honey is a fragrant, golden honey made from the nectar of orange tree blossoms, primarily in regions like Florida, Spain, and Mexico. It has a light citrus aroma with a delicate sweetness and subtle floral undertones. Using the orange blossom honey helps bring out the sweetness of the Calabrian peppers and also balances out the bite of the red onion. I used Honey Feast brand, which is available online. but any brand will do and if you don't have access to orange blossom, any regular honey is going to work.

To be honest the first time I made this recipe I messed up and accidently used tomato sauce - and it was actually delicious too! So if you prefer sauce, go ahead and add that. I also did a little experimenting with the onions, first trying them sauteed and next just added raw to the pizza (before baking). Both were good but I think I prefered the texture and flavor of the sauteed onions. Keep in mind that the peppers are pretty spicy so if you're sensitive to heat, use less and spread them out evenly so you don't get too big a bite all at once. However you do it, I'm sure this will be one of your new favorite recipes!

Recipe (makes 12"-14" pizza, serves 2-3):

1/2 batch Fuhgedoughboudit dough (330g)

2 tbsp Calabrian peppers, coarsely chopped

1/4 red onion (3.5 oz/100g)

8 oz (227g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese

1 oz (30g) pecorino romano or parmesan cheese

1-2 tbls orange blossom or regular honey

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees.
• Finely slice onion in 2"-3" long strips, then saute in olive oil until just softened. Set aside.
• Roughly chop Calbrian peppers to about 1/4" in size.
• Stretch dough to about 12-14" and place on the pizza peel or baking sheet.
• Sprinkle romano or parmesan cheese on to dough, then add mozzerella. Add onions and peppers, distributing evenly. 
• Bake for about 8 minutes, turning once or twice to ensure even baking. 
• Remove from oven and drizzle with honey.
• Allow to cool for a minute or two, then slice and enjoy!