Quattro Stagioni Pizza is a classic traditional Italian pizza that comes with 4 different flavors in one. Even though each pizza topping is varied, you will still find an ingredient for each of the seasons.
Origin and Cultural Significance
The word “pizza” came from the Latin word ‘pinsa’ which means flatbread. According to legend, Roman soldiers gained a taste for Jewish Matzoth while they were assigned in a Roman-occupied Palestine where they tried to make ‘pinsa’.
Quattro Stagioni or the “four seasons” pizza is a classic Italian pizza similar to that of the pizza capricciosa. It is composed of different ingredients each representing a season where each ingredient is typically harvested and preserved. Ham for the winter, artichokes for spring, olives for summer, and mushrooms for fall.
Italian Quattro Stagioni Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
- White flour - 200g
- Instant dry yeast - 7g
- Salt - a pinch
- Water (warm) - 140ml
- Extra virgin olive oil - 3 tbsp
- Extra flour for the kneading counter
- Extra oil for the bowl and baking tray
- Passata/tomato sauce - 200g
- Mozzarella balls cheese (shredded) - 1 cup
- Cooked ham (sliced) - 85g
- Mushrooms (sliced) - 85g
- Artichokes in oil (drained and quartered) - 6 pcs
- Sun-dried black olives (sliced) - 80g
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Dough preparation
- In a large bowl, mix the white flour, instant dry yeast, and salt. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour the warm water and oil. Mix together until a wet dough is formed.
- On a flat working counter, drizzle lightly with some flour. Place the dough over the counter and knead it with your hands until the consistency of the dough is smooth and elastic. This takes approximately 5 minutes.
- Brush the insides of a large bowl with oil. Place the kneaded dough inside the bowl and brush the top portion with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Leave it for 25 minutes and allow the dough to double its size. Preferably in a warm environment.
- Prepare two baking trays. Brush one tablespoon of oil on each tray.
- After resting the dough, place the dough on a floured surface and divide it into two. Form each portion into a ball and slowly roll the dough into a round disc with approximately 3mm thickness.
- Transfer both the pizza dough gently on each prepared baking tray.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
Toppings
- In a frying pan, saute the mushrooms for 2 minutes then set aside.
- Add 100g of tomato on one pizza base then spread it evenly leaving a small portion of the edges of the dough with no sauce.
- Spread the mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.
- Toppings will be divided into four quadrants. Place the sliced ham on one quadrant, the olives on the second, sauteed mushrooms on the other and the artichokes on the last quadrant.
- Top off with a little bit of salt and pepper.
- Repeat the process with the other pizza dough.
- Place the pizza inside the oven and cook for about 15 minutes up until the cheese is melted and the crust turned into a golden colour.
- Served best while hot and crisp.