Autumn Harvest Pizza with Pork Belly and Apple

This is autumn on a pizza - thinly sliced pork belly, sweet apple, and sage and onion stuffing on a bubbling cheese base. It sounds like Sunday lunch reimagined, and that is exactly what it is. The wood-fired oven crisps the pork belly edges and caramelises the apple slices in seconds, and the sage stuffing ties everything together. One of those pizzas that makes people stop and ask what you have done.

Ingredients

• 1 sourdough or Neapolitan pizza dough ball
• Half a medium apple, thinly sliced
• 60-80g pork belly, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp sage and onion stuffing (pre-made, cooled)
• 50g grated Pecorino Romano
• 50g fresh mozzarella, torn into strips
• 50g grated mozzarella
• Fresh thyme leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat your pizza oven to 400-450°C. If your pork belly is raw, sear it in a cast-iron skillet in the oven first until it starts to crisp.
2. Stretch your dough into a 10-12 inch base on a well-floured surface. Transfer to a floured peel.
3. Sprinkle the Pecorino over the base, then layer the mozzarella strips and grated mozzarella.
4. Scatter pieces of sage and onion stuffing across the cheese. Arrange the apple slices around the pizza, leaving the centre clear. Drape the pork belly slices between the apple.
5. Finish with a few thyme leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and a grind of black pepper.
6. Slide into your oven and cook for 60-90 seconds, rotating every 20-30 seconds for even browning. Watch for bubbling cheese, crisped pork edges, and golden apple slices.
7. Rest for 30 seconds before slicing. A drizzle of honey or cider glaze and a pinch of sea salt on top is an excellent finishing touch.