Canned Clams Are Your Secret Weapon For A Rule-Breaking Quick Pizza

You don't need to live on the coast and shuck fresh clams in order to make a good pizza. While we like to think that fresh is best, the truth is that canned clams are just as good and arguably more convenient for clam-loving pizza fans looking to recreate their favorite pie at home. However, there are a variety of options and brands to choose from when it comes to canned clams. The ones you'll find at the grocery store are most likely chopped Atlantic surf clams, which are sweet and firm. 

Whole-bellied clams have a briner flavor and a bouncier texture. You can even find jarred whole clams, still in their shells, at specialty European markets. For the purposes of your pizza, though, it's best to go with chopped clams, as they will hold up well with other ingredients and stretch across more surface area. If you have the type of clams you'd like to use on hand and you're looking to make this type of pie, you've probably realized it breaks all the conventional pizza rules as it has no mozzarella or tomato sauce. In fact, if you really want to break the rules, you don't even need to use the dough.

There is nothing to say that you couldn't make classic clam pizza using dough and pop it in your oven. However, there's a quicker option way to do this using toast. It's not pie, but it's a great alternative. You could use any kind of toast you wish, be it a baguette, a slice of country sourdough loaf, a bagel, or even an English muffin. It's the toppings that really make the pizza.

In a mixing bowl, combine your canned clams with chopped garlic, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, lemon zest, and Pecorino Romano cheese. Remember, you're making a white pizza here, meaning there's not a tomato in sight. Toast your chosen bread under the broiler until it's just starting to crisp. This helps keep the bread from getting too soggy. Spoon the clam mix onto the toast and return it to the broiler for a more few minutes until the topping bubbles and the toast has a slight char along its sides and you're done.

This is a simple, easy, and very tasty meal. No need to chuck clams or spend time stretching out dough. The crunch of the toast, along with the briny sweetness of the clams, the salt of the pecorino, the refreshing hit of lemon, and the kick of the garlic, pepper, and oregano make for bite after bite of savory, rule-breaking, goodness.