Most people grill burgers, make a pot of chili or order piles of chicken wings for their Super Bowl party. Not us. Our annual Super Bowl celebrations honor the regions where the two competing teams are from. If it’s Baltimore, it’s crab cakes. Philadelphia? Cheesesteaks. Some hometowns are culinary meccas; others, not so much.
When the playoffs begin, we bracket the teams and their regional specialties. As the final two approach, the menu starts to take shape. This year we were thrilled: New England vs. Seattle. New England immediately calls clam chowder to mind, and I was on the soup track until a last-minute change of plan: pizza.
We created a New England–inspired pizza that captures the essence of clam chowder in a pie. The elements of a classic chowder—creamy béchamel, tender clams, potatoes, onions and bacon—are rebuilt as pizza toppings. Potatoes and clams on pizza may sound unusual, but they work beautifully together, balanced by fresh celery leaves as a garnish.
The celery leaves are essential: they add a bright, herbal lift that cuts through the richness of the béchamel. We also discovered that adding a few dashes of hot sauce delivers an unexpected, delicious kick—optional, but highly recommended for anyone who likes a tangy heat. This pizza can be served traditional or with that extra spicy twist.
Paper-thin slices of potato, onion and Brussels sprouts are important so they cook in the same short bake time as the pizza—about 7–8 minutes in a 500°F oven. A mandoline speeds the process, but a very sharp knife and steady hand will do the job if you don’t have one.
For the clams we used fresh middleneck clams from our fishmonger. They steam quickly with aromatics until the shells pop open; remove the meat and chop larger clams if needed. In our test run we made multiple 10-inch pizzas and found both chopped and whole clams work well—whole clams are fun to present and satisfying to bite into.
Plan and prep all toppings before rolling out dough so the assembly and transfer to the hot pizza stone go smoothly. Lightly flour the work surface, shape thin crusts, and use cornmeal on the stone to prevent sticking. A few tips: don’t overload the pie with béchamel or the crust can become soggy; divide ingredients evenly to maintain balance; and top with celery leaves right before serving to preserve their color and freshness.
New England Clam Chowda Pizza
A twist on two classics: fresh clams, seafood béchamel, thinly sliced potatoes, Brussels sprouts, red onion and crispy bacon on a hot, crisp crust. Cook in the oven or on the grill and finish with fresh celery leaves. Optional hot sauce adds a tangy heat.
Ingredients
For seafood béchamel
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 heaping tablespoon flour
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2–3 grinds black pepper
- 3/4 cup seafood stock or clam juice
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vermouth
- 1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves
For the clams
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 6 cups water, divided
- 24 middleneck clams
- 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
For the pizza
- 1 pound store-bought pizza dough (chilled dough works well)
- 3 small red-skinned potatoes, very thinly sliced
- 5 Brussels sprouts, very thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced crosswise
- 1/4 pound crispy cooked bacon, chopped
- Seafood béchamel (recipe above)
- 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, divided
- Flour for rolling dough; cornmeal for the pizza stone
Garnishes
- Celery leaves
- Hot sauce (optional)
Special equipment
- Pizza stone
Directions
Make the béchamel
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in flour, salt and pepper, stirring constantly until smooth and bubbly, about a minute.
- Gradually add the seafood stock, stirring until thick and smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, remove from heat, then add vermouth and chopped celery leaves. Set aside. (Can be made a day ahead.)
- Place the pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F.
Prepare the clams
- Soak clams in 5 cups cool water with kosher salt for about 10 minutes to help purge grit. Scrub clams clean.
- Layer sliced onion, thyme and garlic in a medium skillet, add remaining cup of water and bring to a boil. Add clams, cover tightly and steam 3–4 minutes until shells open. Remove clams from shells and chop larger clams if desired. Transfer clams to a bowl.
Assemble and bake the pizzas
- Prep all toppings and set them near the stove. Dust a work surface with flour and divide dough into quarters. Flatten each portion to about 1/4″ thick using a rolling pin or by hand.
- Carefully transfer the hot pizza stone to the cooktop with oven mitts and sprinkle cornmeal on the stone. Transfer the shaped dough onto the stone and brush with about 1 teaspoon olive oil.
- Top each pizza with a quarter of the potato slices, Brussels sprouts, béchamel, onion, thyme, bacon and chopped clams. Avoid overloading the pie to prevent sogginess.
- Return the stone to the oven and bake 7–8 minutes until crust is browned and crisp and toppings are bubbling. Use a peel or spatula to move pizza to a cutting board; cool 1–2 minutes, top with celery leaves and serve. Repeat for remaining pizzas.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 395 kcal | Carbohydrates: 50 g | Protein: 11 g | Fat: 18 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Sodium: 5492 mg
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