Clam-Chowder Pizza Recipe (2024)

I've been making pizza for over 35 years. I don't think the baking stone and peel are necessary. After making the dough, I bake it on a lightly greased perforated pizza sheet (lots of little holes). I do not preheat the oven. I simply put the sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and then turn on the (electric) oven to 450. The combo of the broiler and the bottom element providing extra direct heat produces a lovely crust, that is crispy on the edges. Saves a lot of electricity. Tasty!

My preference is clam pizza made without cheese or cream, which mute the brininess and tang of the clams. I pan roast the garlic in their skins first, then smear the pizza with an olive oil/roasted garlic paste. Then add the chopped clams, sprinkled with red pepper flakes (which taste better heated) and top with a gremolata of lemon zest, lots of parsley and finely chopped fresh garlic, dampened with a spoonful or two of the clam juice.

Just made this last night and it is one of the best --- maybe THE best --- pizzas I've ever had! I used three cans of clams and it's hard to believe fresh clams could have been better. I also used onions instead of leeks. Inspired recipe, Mr. Sifton!!

That abomination is hardly pizza at all.

The best clam pizza comes from Pepe's in New Haven. End of discussion.

Manhattan Style will NOT be slighted in my kitchen tonight! Man the ramparts! Prepare the tomatoes! P.s. I shall report on my success - or failure - whatever. Hope springs eternal.

Frank Pepe, who invented clam pizza, was born in Maiori in Italy in 1893. Where were you born?

I live near New Haven. We don't use bacon or mozzarella...or cream. It's not a chowder. Parmesan cheese. If you can come to NewHaven for the real white clam pizza...it's a treat!

My easy-peasey version: gently sauté 3-4 cloves of minced or pressed garlic in olive oil until just cooked. Add the juice (not clams) from 2 cans of minced or chopped clams. Reserve the clams. Cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened. Add 1-2 tbsp butter, chopped shrimp, the reserved clams and a handful of chopped parsley. Spread on pizza dough with (or without!) a sprinkling of grated Parmesan and cook according to your pizza recipe.

Having worked with clammers for over 35 years, here is a suggestion about the clams. Buy Chowder sized clams...they are the best value in the seafood market. FREEZE THEM (5 hours should work) Put them in the sink and run tepid water over them and they will gape. Use a butter knife to pop them and then cut them into 6 to8 pieces. Put in a bowl to defrost. For most recipes, I'd use them as is, but this cooking time might want to start with more than raw, so I'd maybe put some olive oil and garlic in a skillet and just cook them a bit, and then put them on the pizza as per the recipe. NEVER cook them first to cook them again or you will get tough pieces of rubber. Love your clams don't kill them!

Sam, you are a brilliant writer. Mesmerizing piece. TY.

would someone please stop sifton before he writes again .....

This was wonderful.

Once I've gotten the clams out of the shell, the toss everything that remains, even the juice. Then I use Snow's clam juice because there can be tiny bits of sand that occasionally get through even the cheesecloth and the clam juice has none. I swear by it! Great authentic clam flavor too.

This is good. I like to add several grinds of black pepper to the pie dough.

Yes, yum. I've struggled with pizza, but this was a resounding success! I did add some small cubes of potatoes to give the full clam chowder effect and it was excellent. 3 cans of chopped clams and onions instead of leeks. But finally got the crust right -- thanks for the tip about the parchment -- plus used some cornmeal on the bottom for an excellent crunch (was always too gooey). Did cook much longer than 7 minutes (more like 15-20?).

Riffed on this with what I had:about a pint of caramelized onions/their juice from freezer, sourdough crust, couple TBS vermouth, air dried shallots, couple cans clams/their juice, one ripe Cherokee Purple tomato from the garden(seeded etc), couple cans mushroom slices, enough coarse grated Pecorino-Romanoto cover. Baked on an upside-down Nordic Ware half sheet pan. Well worth the experiment!

I did 3 -All fabulous! A keeper!!
1- The Recipe- delicious but the bacon overpowers the clams
2- Recipe without bacon: more nuanced and balanced
3-no cream and a hard cheese from the island of Sardinia Italy (like a pecorino): completely different dish using a spectacular cheese rather than moz and cream
Verdict: make three each time!
jon@triguitalia for Sardinian cheeses near you (Boston,NY,San Fran,Seattle) or go direct to the website: triguitalia.com From the cheese makers to your table!

If you find your pizza sticking to the peel, first off, add a bit of corn meal to the flour on the peel. Secondly, lift an edge of the pizza and blow underneath the pizza. This will lift it off the peel. You might have to work your way around the pie, but usually just doing the front in a couple of places works well.

I had a hard time reducing my clam stock/cream into a thick enough sauce and thus added a bit of sour cream to it to thicken it before spreading it on the pizza dough. Also used canned clams but would attempt recipe again with fresh ones and a second try at the sauce. Overall still a pretty tasty result though

Really enjoyed this pizza! Did not use a peel, but put the pizza on a pan with little holes and baked it on a pizza stone. I skipped the cream, but followed the rest of the recipe, yummy!

Delicious recipe and easy dough (Falco's recipe). Make sure you have oven at max with a pizza stone and the crust comes out thin and crispy. Also, I reduced the leek topping to virtually no liquid.

I used David Tanis' Easy Pizza dough recipe as I have found the one listed in this recipe to be too delicate. I refrigerated the dough for 2 days before using and it was wonderful! The filling I made as the recipe directs. Double Yum!

As any self-respecting Italian chef can tell you, you don't add cheese to a clam pasta or pizza. A far superior (and easier) recipe by the great Marian Burros appeared on these pages on March 8, 1987. It's still in my recipe box.

Also, for the crispiest pizza, I recommend cooking on a heated pizza stone on your gas or charcoal grill.

Anyone else use parchment paper ? I put the parchment paper on the peel , sprinkle some cornmeal , and roll out the pizza dough, add toppings, and slide the whole thing on the the heated stone in the oven. I use the peel to remove the pizza when cooked, parchment paper and all. Never sticks. No fancy peel technique required