Daily Italian Recipe · Pizza
Amatriciana Pizza Bianca
Amatriciana Pizza Bianca brings guanciale, Pecorino Romano and black pepper to a crisp, tomato-free pizza. This Lazio-inspired variation keeps the topping simple, letting rendered pork fat and sharp sheep’s-milk cheese do the work.
Total time
100 minutes
Serves
2 people
Difficulty
Easy
Origin
Lazio
Amatriciana takes its name from Amatrice, now in Lazio, and its recognised tomato-based sauce pairs guanciale with pecorino. The related tomato-free pasta preparation, gricia, shares the savoury partnership of cured pork cheek and sheep’s-milk cheese.
This white pizza borrows those flavours rather than claiming to be a historic Amatrice recipe. Despite its name, it is closer in seasoning to gricia: no tomato, no cream and no mozzarella to soften the distinctive guanciale-and-pecorino character.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
1. Temper the dough and heat the oven
Keep the thawed dough covered at room temperature for about 60 minutes, or according to its pack instructions, until relaxed enough to stretch. Meanwhile, place a pizza steel, stone or heavy inverted baking tray in the upper-middle oven and preheat at 250°C conventional heat for at least 45 minutes. The preparation time includes this resting and preheating.
- 2
2. Gently render the guanciale
Cut the guanciale into strips approximately 5 mm thick. Put them in a cold frying pan without oil, then cook over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and cooked through but not brittle. Lift out with a slotted spoon and reserve 10 g of the rendered fat.
- 3
3. Prepare the finishing ingredients
Finely grate the pecorino and divide it into two 30 g portions. Divide the guanciale and black pepper equally between the two pizzas. Do not add salt: the cured pork and cheese provide plenty.
- 4
4. Stretch the first pizza
Lightly dust the worktop and a pizza peel with some of the flour. Press one dough ball outward from the centre, then stretch it into a 28–30 cm round, leaving a modest raised rim. Brush the centre with 5 g of reserved guanciale fat, keeping the rim bare. Shape the second pizza only when ready to bake it.
- 5
5. Bake and add the guanciale late
Slide the pizza onto the hot baking surface and bake for 8–11 minutes, until the base is set and the rim is beginning to colour. Briefly pull it out, scatter over half the cooked guanciale and return it to the oven for 2–3 minutes. The finished base should be browned underneath and the rim golden; adjust the timing to your oven.
- 6
6. Finish with pecorino and pepper
Transfer the hot pizza to a board and immediately scatter over 30 g pecorino and half the black pepper. Let the residual heat soften the cheese for 1 minute, then slice and serve. Repeat the stretching, brushing, baking and finishing with the remaining dough and toppings.
Chef's secret
Use just a thin film of rendered guanciale fat on the dough, then add the finely grated pecorino after baking. This seasons the base without making it greasy and preserves the cheese’s aroma instead of scorching it.
Did you know?
In Italian pizza terminology, bianca means the pizza has no tomato topping—not that it must contain cream or mozzarella.
Common mistakes
- Adding all the rendered guanciale fat: measure out only 10 g for both pizzas to avoid an oily centre.
- Baking already-rendered guanciale for the entire cooking time: add it near the end so it stays tender-crisp rather than hard and bitter.
- Putting pecorino in the oven from the start: finely grate it and add it after baking to avoid scorched cheese.
Storage & reheating
Best eaten immediately. Refrigerate leftover pizza in a sealed container within 2 hours and use within 2 days. Reheat on a preheated tray at 200°C for 6–8 minutes, until hot throughout and crisp underneath. Avoid microwaving if you want to preserve the crust.
Shop the recipe
Delivered across Hong Kong by SF Express or Lalamove.
FAQ
Is amatriciana traditionally tomato-free?
No. Recognised amatriciana includes tomato. This deliberately white pizza variation takes its seasoning cues from gricia, the related guanciale-and-pecorino preparation.
Can I make it without a pizza stone?
Yes. Preheat a heavy inverted metal baking tray for at least 45 minutes and slide the pizza onto it using a lightly floured peel. Check the underside before removing it, as baking time varies with the tray and oven.
Can I order the main ingredients in Hong Kong?
Yes. The Italian Club Hong Kong offers the pizza dough, guanciale and Pecorino Romano online, with delivery across Hong Kong via SF Express and Lalamove.