The Drunken Clam Pizza

Ya ever had the clam pizza? It’s like… regular pizza, but instead of pepperoni, it’s got little chewy ocean guys all over it. You take a bite, and it’s like—‘Mmm, cheesy, lemony, salty… so it’s basically seafood and dairy, which I’m pretty sure is one of the food groups. And get this, no shells. Nope, nope, just extra crunchy peppery arugula topping.’ And don’t get me wrong, it ain’t like Quahog clams are the freshest, but you put enough cheese on anything, it tastes like heaven. Or at least like Cleveland’s cologne—strong and oddly comforting.

Ingredients

1 lb pizza dough
15 oz can chopped clams
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Zest of one lemon micro planed
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp anchovy paste
1 shallot minced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated manchego cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cups arugula

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine the clams, clam juice drained, olive oil, lemon zest, shallot, crushed red pepper flakes, anchovy paste, garlic, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Set aside.
Spread the pizza dough into a large oval on a baking sheet. Scatter over the clam mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the dough. Sprinkle with the parmesan and manchego cheese. Top with dried oregano.
Bake until the crust is golden and crisp, about 12 minutes.
Transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve topped with arugula.