Pizza with cheese and pepper "Cacio e pepe"

Ingredients:

For the test:

• 2 and 3/4 cups flour, plus a little extra for dusting
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 cup warm water (about 40°C)
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more to grease the bowl

For pizza:

• 0.5 cups ice cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp. ricotta cheese (about 230 gr.)
• 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 110 gr.)
• 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Make a deep well in the center of the mixture and pour in warm water. Sprinkle the sugar and yeast over the water and let it bubble for 5-10 minutes. Pour olive oil into the well, then stir with a wooden spoon.
   
   Place on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
   
   Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
2. Prepare the pizza: One hour before baking, place a pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 260°C.
   
   On a floured surface, shape the dough into a 30cm circle. Transfer the dough to a well-floured pizza peel or another well-floured, inverted baking sheet. Spread ice evenly over the dough and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
   
   Carefully slide the pizza crust onto the heated stone. Bake until golden brown and the ice has melted, 12-13 minutes.
3. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and top with ricotta pieces using a small spoon. Sprinkle with pecorino and pepper; drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt.
   
   Chef's note
   
   Baking pizza with ice may seem like an unusual idea, but this subtlety makes the pizza crispy while maintaining a soft, almost creamy, texture.