How to make Virtuous Pie’s vegan Superfunghi pizza at home

As many of us find ourselves cooking at home instead of dining out, we’re sharing recipes from some of Toronto’s top chefs and restaurants.

“This pizza brings together rustic, warm flavours with pops of flavour. While mushrooms are the heart of this pizza, truffle oil and bright arugula harmonize in each bite,” says chef Jim Vesal, culinary director of Virtuous Pie. “Pizza is often daunting to home chefs, but after making it once, you’ll realize how easy it is to make and have fun with your own creations. This is a great time, when most of us are cooped up and missing our favourite Friday night spots, to master those specialty comfort foods.”

Pizza Dough

  • 235 g warm water
  • 4 g yeast
  • 380 g high-gluten flour
  • 5 g sugar
  • 16 g olive oil
  • 4 g salt

Place the water into a bowl and add yeast. Allow to bloom and whisk occasionally.

Put remaining ingredients into a stand mixer bowl, add water and yeast mixture. Mix with the dough hook on the lowest speed until all ingredients are fully incorporated.

Increase speed slightly and mix until the dough forms into a smooth ball, approximately 5 minutes.

Coat a pizza tray with bake spray.

Transfer dough into the container and cover. Refrigerate and allow dough to sit for 24 hours.

Remove dough from container and place onto a clean, dry surface. Cut dough into 170g portions, covering the cut pieces to keep them from drying out.

Shape each piece into a ball by smoothing out the top surface, pulling back the edges, and rolling the bottom of the dough on a flat surface to tuck in the edges tightly. Final shape of the dough should be a 3.5” wide x 2” high ball.

Roll each dough ball in flour to ensure it doesn’t stick and place onto a tray.

Refrigerate for 24 hours before use. This step allows the dough to further develop in flavourand gluten structure, which will make for easier stretching.

Herbed Potato Cream

  • 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, cut in 2″ pieces
  • 5 g fresh thyme, roughly chopped
  • 5 g fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 5 g garlic cloves
  • 14 g nutritional yeast
  • 3/4 cup cold water

Steam potatoes over high heat until tender and soft, about 14 minutes.

While still hot, place potatoes in food processor along with all other ingredients.

Puree until smooth, adjusting seasoning to taste.

Spread mixture onto parchment lined baking sheets and allow to cool.

Refrigerate until needed.

Mushrooms duxelle

  • 1/2 lb wild mushrooms
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and toss until mushrooms are evenly coated.

Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until moisture has evaporated, stirring once midway.

Remove from oven and refrigerate until fully cooled.

 

 

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Truffle almond ricotta

  • 3/4 cup blanched skinless almonds, soaked and drained
  • 2/5 cup water
  • 1/4 tsp acidophilus
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 14 g nutritional yeast
  • 1/5 cup water
  • 1 tbsp truffle oil

Place almonds, water and acidophilus into a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.

Place into a container and leave at room temperature with the lid cracked for 24 hours.

Add remaining ingredients to cultured almonds and blend.

Assembly

  • 6 oz. pizza dough
  • 1 scoop herbed potato cream
  • 1 scoop mushroom duxelle
  • 1/2 tsp olive oil
  • 28 g truffle almond ricotta
  • 12 pieces arugula

Preheat oven and pizza stone to 500 F.

Stretch out one portion of pizza dough into a 10″ to 12” circle.

Spread out one scoop of herbed potato cream to within 1⁄4” of crust.

Add mushrooms evenly around the perimeter of the pizza avoiding the center 2.5”.

Cook pizza for 10 to 13 minutes or until golden brown.

Drizzle entire cooked pizza with olive oil, including the rim.

Garnish with truffle almond ricotta and arugula.

Looking for other chef-approved recipes to try at home? Make Pizzeria Libretto’s meatballs, Planta’s plant-based mac and cheese or chef Suzanne Barr’s cauliflower soup.

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