Artichoke Pizza

Artichoke pizza is a sheet pan pizza that’s topped with sliced mozzarella, dollops of ricotta, garlic oil, artichoke hearts, fresh basil, Pecorino Romano, and just a touch of fresh lemon zest. This recipe provides step-by-step instructions to make your own dough, but you can easily use storebought dough if preferred.

Editor’s Note: Originally published on 3/26/2019.  Updated with full process shots and expanded info.

This artichoke pizza recipe was borne out of my love for artichoke hearts, and a classic slice of New York white pizza.

As much as I love round pizza, I felt the heft of a thicker pan pizza would be ideal, allowing me to pile on the artichoke hearts and the creamy dollops of ricotta.

While this recipe walks you through the process of making your homemade cold fermented dough (which is definitely worth the wait), you can use storebought or pizzeria-bought dough if you prefer.

This white pizza with artichokes is wonderful with a simple salad and some garlic knots!

How to make it

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

First, make the pizza dough

1. In a large bowl combine 406 grams (or 3 1/2 cups) of bread flour, 2 grams (or 1/2 teaspoon) of instant yeast, 8 grams (or 1 1/2 teaspoons) of fine sea salt, and 4 grams (or 1 teaspoon) of sugar. Note: I recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients for any pizza, bread, or baking recipes.  
2. In a separate bowl large enough to hold the dry ingredients, plus water and room to spare, add 260 grams (or 9 ounces) of cold water.  Begin to add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix until a rough, dry mass forms.  Pour 14 grams (or 1 tablespoon) of olive oil over the dough and mix again to remove any residue stuck to the side of the bowl. 

3. Move the rough shaggy dough to a flat workspace and knead for 5-7 minutes.  If the dough becomes too sticky, place a clean inverted bowl over the dough and wait 30 minutes before continuing.  Return to kneading and be sure to knead for at least a total of 5-7 minutes.  Place the inverted bowl over the dough again and allow it to sit for 30-40 minutes to warm up before forming the dough ball.
4. After 40 minutes, begin to pull the dough toward its end repeatedly to form a smooth ball.  Pinch the seam side to close the ball and place it seam-side down into a bowl that’s been lightly oiled with olive oil.  Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours before using, although I recommend 24-48 hours for maximum flavor. While the dough sits in the fridge, begin to drain 12 ounces of ricotta through a sieve or cheesecloth.

Next, make the artichoke pizza

1. 2 hours before making the pizza, remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature but do not uncover the bowl.  Coat a grandma pizza pan with 6 tablespoons of olive oil, remove the dough from the bowl, and place it into the pan.  With your fingertips begin pressing the dough into the corners of the pan.  If needed, oil your fingertips to prevent sticking.  

2. You will not be able to stretch the dough entirely in one attempt, so place plastic wrap over the pan and allow the dough to warm up for 45 minutes.
3. Drain 2 15-ounce cans of artichoke hearts and slice into quarters.  Pat them dry with paper towels to remove any excess water.

4. Mince 3 cloves of garlic and place in a small bowl along with 1/4 cup of olive oil and mix to combine.
5. After 45 minutes remove the plastic and again try to stretch the pizza dough to the size of the pan.  If still unable to stretch it completely, cover it again with plastic wrap and repeat the process one more time until the dough has completely filled the pan.  Cover the dough and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 450f and set one rack to the lowest level of the oven and one to the highest.

6. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan and if required, press the dough into the edges.  Start by holding or pressing one of the corners.  Lock the dough into the corner and place a piece of the mozzarella on top to make the dough stay put.  
7. In an overlapping shingle pattern, leaving the outside 1/2 inch uncovered, layer the mozzarella until the pizza is covered.  Repeat the corner trick when you reach each one.

8. Place the artichoke hearts all over the pizza, then place spoonfuls of the drained ricotta in a random pattern on top.  Sprinkle a 1/4 teaspoon worth of hot red pepper flakes and spoon the garlic oil on top of the pizza. Place the pizza on the lowest rack in the oven and cook for 10 minutes rotating the pan 180 degrees at the halfway point. 
9. After 10 minutes remove the pizza and check the bottom for browning.  If the pizza is well-browned, bake it on the top rack for 8 minutes.  Otherwise, allow the pizza to continue to cook on the bottom rack for 8 minutes.  After 18 total minutes in the oven, sprinkle 3 tablespoons worth of Pecorino Romano cheese on top along with 6-8 hand-torn basil leaves and return to the oven for 2-4 more minutes.

10. After 20-22 minutes of total cooking time, the artichoke pizza will be done.  Allow it to cool for a few minutes and if desired, top it with fresh lemon zest.  Remove the pizza from the pan and allow to cool for a few minutes on a wire rack before slicing and serving.  Enjoy!

Top tips

• Dough. If making your own dough, I strongly recommend allowing 24 hours for the dough to cold ferment.  While the dough needs at least 12 hours, allowing it to ferment in the fridge for 24-48 hours will give it an incredible flavor.  You can also use store-bought dough for this recipe.
• Artichoke hearts. I used water-packed artichoke hearts for this recipe, but you can also use those packed in oil.  Just be sure to drain the oil prior to using and rather than make garlic oil, simply sprinkle minced garlic on top. 
• Oil.  Sheetpan pizzas, like my traditional grandma pizza, require a lot of oil.  Please use the amount specified in the recipe to achieve a perfectly crisp bottom.
• Ricotta. I strongly recommend draining your ricotta to avoid watery pizza.  If possible, use a drier ricotta, such as Galbani brand.  Polly-O is on the wetter end of the spectrum and will definitely require draining.
• Mozzarella. This artichoke pizza, and grandma-style pizzas in general use slicing mozzarella that can be purchased at the deli counter, or even prepacked.  You could slice a block yourself by freezing it for about 30 minutes, but it’s a bit difficult to get thin slices that way.
• Oven temp. Everyone’s oven is different which is why I recommend checking the bottom for brownness at the 10-minute mark.  If it’s brown, move the pizza to the top and if it’s on the blonder side, keep it on the lowest rack.  Our pizza recipes have tons of comments here on this website and also on YouTube/Facebook and email.  I mean hundreds.  Some people have an issue getting any color on the bottom of the pizza even after 20 minutes of cooking.  So what does this mean?  Though these timings are a very good starting point, you must learn and adapt to your oven.
• Slicing. Pizza should never be sliced in its pan as it can damage the pan.  Move the pizza to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes, slice on a cutting board, then return the sliced pizza to the pan if desired.

More pizza dough recipes

If you share our love for homemade pizza, we think you’ll love these other recipes that can all be made with the same homemade dough.

• Vodka sauce pizza – grandma style with fresh basil and pink sauce.
• Cast iron pizza – thicker pizza in a cast iron pan.
• Sausage and broccoli rabe rolls – pizza dough rolled around sausage, broccoli rabe, and cheese.

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This recipe was originally published on March 26, 2019.  It was completely updated on April 22, 2023.