This pizza with potatoes and pancetta is made with just a few ingredients and is sure to please a crowd. Bonus: it’s super easy to make!
The first time I encountered potatoes on pizza, I was a college freshman going to get a slice at Ian’s with my new friend, Kelsi. Initially, I wasn’t into the idea – potatoes? On pizza? Seemed a little carb-y, even for me. Kelsi, on the other hand, dove right in. Many trips to Ian’s and many slices of pizza later, I finally tried one of their many slices of pizza with potatoes on it. I was hooked!
Cut to 10 years later, and I am still a fan of pizza with potatoes. So much so, that I made it at home. This pizza is surprisingly light, considering the ingredients – pizza dough, potatoes, pancetta, and parmesan. I made a thin crust version. The texture contrast of the crispy pizza crust, soft potatoes, and crunchy bits of pancetta really hit the spot. Also, this pizza is just as good hot out of the oven as it is at room temperature.
Helpful Tips
One of the keys to at-home pizza making is letting your dough get up to room temperature. This allows you to stretch the dough in the shape that you want without it trying to spring back into a dough ball. For this recipe, I used a store-bought dough ball, but if you are feeling ambitious you can make your own crust as well!
This potato pizza recipe is pretty straightforward, and the ingredient list is small, but it does take some planning. The sliced potatoes need to soak in water for about an hour. While your potatoes are soaking, take the dough out of the fridge so it can come to room temperature. By the time the potatoes are ready, your pizza dough will be, too.
Pizza with Potatoes and Pancetta
What You'll Need
- ½ lb pizza dough I used a whole wheat crust
- ½ lb yukon gold potatoes
- 4 ounces pancetta diced
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
- Black pepper
What to Do
Prep the Potatoes
- Using a sharp knife or mandolin, thinly slice your potatoes about ⅛” thick. Place the slides in a bowl and cover them with 1-2” of cool water. Soak for about 1 hour, until the slices are pliable.
Drain the potatoes, then dry completely with clean dish towels, pressing out as much excess moisture as possible.
Prep the Pancetta
- Add the diced pancetta to a cold pan, then heat over medium low heat until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is crispy, about 6-8 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- Reserve the rendered fat and allow to cool slightly.
Assemble the Pizza
- Preheat the oven to 475ºF.
- In a large bowl, toss the potato slices, pancetta, parmesan cheese, shallot and thyme with 1 tablespoon of the rendered pancetta fat. Season with black pepper.
- Brush a pizza stone or sheet pan with the rendered pancetta fat. Stretch the dough to your desired size and thickness.
- Spread the potato mixture over the pizza dough in an even layer.
- Bake the pizza until the crust is fully cooked and the edges of the potatoes are slightly crisp. Times will vary based on the thickness of your crust, but took about 15 minutes for my thin crust version.
- Slice and enjoy!