Pizza di Scarola: Naples' Bitter-Sweet Christmas Pie

Make the dough: combine flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and warm water. Mix until a shaggy dough comes together, then turn out onto a work surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour until doubled in size.

While the dough rises, soak the raisins in warm water for 15 minutes to plump them, then drain and pat dry. Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until golden. Set both aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the escarole and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain into a colander and cool until handleable. Squeeze the escarole firmly in batches, removing as much water as possible. Roughly chop the squeezed greens.

Heat 45 ml olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not coloured. Add the anchovy fillets and mash them into the oil with a wooden spoon until they fully dissolve, about 1 minute.

Add the chopped escarole to the pan and stir to coat in the anchovy oil. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender and any remaining moisture has cooked off. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Remove the pan from the heat. Fold in the olives, capers, drained raisins, and toasted pine nuts. Taste the filling — it should be balanced: slightly bitter from the escarole, salty from the olives and capers, with a gentle sweetness from the raisins. Spread on a plate and let cool completely.

Place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet on the middle oven rack. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) for at least 20 minutes. Oil a 30 cm (12-inch) round baking pan.

Divide the risen dough into two pieces — roughly 60% for the base and 40% for the lid. On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger piece into a round about 36 cm (14 inches) across. Lay it into the oiled pan, pressing it into the base and up the sides with a 2–3 cm overhang.

Spread the cooled filling evenly over the dough base. Scatter the grated cheese over the top if using.

Roll the smaller piece of dough to a round just large enough to cover the filling. Lay it over the pie. Fold the overhanging base dough up over the lid and press firmly to seal. Crimp the edge with a fork. Pierce the top in 6–8 places with a skewer or fork to let steam escape during baking.

Brush the top crust all over with the remaining 15 ml olive oil. Slide the pan onto the preheated stone or sheet and bake for 30–35 minutes at 200°C until the crust is deep golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.