Mixed cheese and radicchio pizza

Prepare the radicchio: In a large bowl, mix the radicchio with the olive oil and salt and leave to marinate for 40 minutes.

Place the rack of the highest shelf of an oven and turn the grill to its highest setting. When hot, place a greased 26cm iron pan on the stovetop, set to medium heat.

Sprinkle a little flour over your hands and on the work surface and open the dough ball by flattening and stretching the dough with your fingers, or by rolling the dough with your fingers, or by rolling the dough with a rolling pin. Pick the pizza base up and gently stretch it a little further over your fits without tearing it. Drop this onto the hot pan, and allow it to start rising.

As soon as the dough firms up, drizzle the base with olive oil, then add all the cheeses, the basil and quarter of the marinated radicchio leaves.

Cook the pizza on the top of the stove for a about 3 minutes, then transfer the pan to the grill for a further 3-4 minutes.

Ingredients note

In late winter/early spring you may find Tardivo (or to give it its full name : Radicchio Rosso di Treviso Tardivo), which is very special sweet radicchio that looks a little like a tentacled octopus. If this is the case, slice it in half lengthways, rub with olive oil, salt and freshly milled pepper and sear it in a hot pan.