The recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g proofed pizza dough, ready to bake
- 70 g cooked canned or jarred tuna, drained
- 70 g crushed tomatoes
- 65 g mozzarella, well drained
- 20 g red onion
- 1 small pinch dried oregano
- Salt as needed
- A little flour or fine semolina for shaping
Method
- Preheat the oven to 250°C with conventional top and bottom heat. Heat a suitable stone or steel according to its instructions. Keep the dough covered until supple.
- Drain the tuna, separate into small pieces and keep chilled. Slice the onion into thin half-rings. Season the tomatoes lightly.
- Open the dough to about 28 to 30 cm and place on a lightly dusted peel. Check that it slides, then distribute tomato, mozzarella and onion.
- Bake initially for roughly 6 to 9 minutes until the base is largely cooked, checking from minute six.
- Remove with the peel, quickly add the tuna and return for another 2 to 3 minutes. Total baking time is usually around 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the oven.
- Check that the base is cooked through, remove and sprinkle with a little oregano. Slice and serve immediately.
Drain the tuna and add it late
Use cooked tuna from a can or jar for this pizza. The 70 g quantity refers to its drained weight, so leave the packing oil or liquid behind. Separate the fish into small pieces with a fork while keeping some texture. Crushing it into fine fibres makes it more likely to dry out during baking. Keep the prepared fish covered in the fridge until needed, then add it only for the final two to three minutes in the oven.
Red onion provides a stronger flavour alongside the fish. Start with 20 g for a base measuring 28 to 30 cm. Cut it into thin, reasonably even half-rings. Thick pieces can remain sharp and firm during the short bake. If you prefer a particularly mild onion topping, briefly soften the slices in a pan and let them cool first. Allow time for that extra preparation. There is no need to pile on more onion; the other ingredients should remain visible between the strands.
Keep the return to the oven brief
Begin with an already proofed 250 g dough ball. Dough preparation and preheating the baking surface are additional to the stated recipe time. Drain the mozzarella well and season the tomatoes lightly because both fish and cheese bring salt. Bake the pizza initially with just tomato, cheese and onion. Once the base is largely cooked, take it out briefly with a suitable peel and distribute the tuna. Have everything ready beside the oven so the pizza does not cool down while you prepare its final topping.
The last few minutes should warm the fish rather than roast it into a dry crust. Check the underside again instead of automatically using the longest timing estimate. A little oregano after baking is enough to finish. Capers are a possible variation but add more salt, so start with a few rinsed pieces. Serve immediately to preserve the contrast between moist fish, softened onion and the baked base.