We were lucky enough to visit Puglia recently, and these two pizzas are a love letter to our time spent there. This is a celebration of Puglian cuisine, and in particular the creamy, beautiful burrata that the region is famed for. The trip began with a visit to our long-time burrata producer, and we quickly fell for the charm of Noci, the small town they call home, and the stunning quality of the local ingredients.
Burrata is at the heart of Puglian cuisine, and it takes centre stage on both pizzas. Legend has it the cheese was created by accident in 1953 by Lorenzo Bianchino in the town of Andria. Stranded by rare heavy snow and unable to sell his mozzarella, he blended leftover curds, scraps, and fresh cream, and burrata was born, its name meaning “buttered” for its rich, creamy flavour.
Our burrata comes from Ignalat, a small dairy now run by master cheesemaker Vincenzo Ignazzi, using traditions passed down from his grandfather since 1948. To this day, they collect fresh milk from local farms and craft cheese using time-honoured methods and quality ingredients.
Available from Monday 23rd June, both special pizzas start with a base of Puglian pesto – burnt datterino tomato, EVOO, garlic, oregano, thyme, sunflower seeds, parmesan, and mozzarella. Passione Puglia is topped with coppa capocollo and spiced artichokes, while Burrata Bella features peppers agrodolce and crispy aubergine chips. Each one is finished with a whole burrata, sitting proudly front and centre.