Bee Sting Pizza (Honey Soppressata Pizza)

Pizza is a favorite in our house, and we love to make it at home. Sometimes I make my own pizza dough (which yields a mean, crispy crust). But sometimes, when I am pressed for time, I use a store bought dough. Our family always liked a traditional pizza with “normal” toppings: pepperoni, sausage, peppers, cheese, and fresh basil. But when I started traveling to New York, a whole new world of pizza was revealed to me.

The pizza choices in New York are varied and plentiful; each pizza is unique in its own way. Our “go to” delivery pizza is from Two Boots. It is made with a thin, crisp cornmeal crust and has that perfect crunch. We also enjoy the “corner pie” on the go, which offers 2 slices and a can of soda.  It is the quintessential New York City pizza and totally delicious.

What is Bee Sting Pizza?

Bee Sting Pizza comes from a Brooklyn favorite, Roberta’s. This very popular pizzeria (who luckily has a pop-up venue just down the street from us), is wood-fired, topped with fresh mozzarella, sliced Soppressata, and a spicy honey finish (we added sausage to ours for an extra kick). Roberta's pizza dough is world famous, and the key to this recipe is to use fresh ingredients, starting with the sauce. My signature pizza sauce is made with only four ingredients, and I believe it is the perfect base for any homemade pizza.

Ingredients:

• 1 16" pizza crust (use our pizza dough recipe or a store bought dough).
• pizza sauce (see below)
• 4 oz Soppressata, sliced
• 4 oz chopped and cooked sausage
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp chil-infused oil
• fresh basil leaves

How to Make The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan, add ¼ C olive oil, crushed garlic, and a 26 oz. can of crushed tomatoes. Cover with a lid and heat over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat and remove lid.
3. This sauce will be enough for 2-3 pizzas. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

When this Honey Soppressata Pizza comes out of the oven, the key finishing ingredients that make it oh-so-special are a drizzle of clover honey and chili-infused oil. The oil gives the lips a little sting and the honey brings them back to reality. Don’t be afraid to drizzle heavy as this pizza will be gone before you have any time to let the burn set in.

Expert Tips:

1. The secret to making homemade pizza taste as good as the pizzeria type is to have a very hot oven. We fire ours up to 500°, and we use a pizza stone.
2. Homemade pizza can be just as great without the stone. Just remember to keep the oven door closed so that the oven maintains its high temperature.
3. We like fresh mozzarella for this recipe, but you can use shredded mozzarella in a pinch. Ricotta cheese works well too!

Related Recipes:

Grilled Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza: made with a pesto sauce instead of red sauce, This savory pie is perfectly salty with a peppery finish.

Meatball Ciabatta Bread Pizza: skip the traditional dough completely and build a mouthwatering pizza on fresh baked Ciabatta bread. Mama's homemade meatballs complement this crunchy crust.

Roasted Pepper Pizza with Arrabbiata Sauce: add some crushed red pepper to our traditional pizza sauce recipe, pile it high with roasted peppers, fresh ricotta and a drizzle of olive oil.

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