Tokyo is the city of pizza. Although at first glance it might not seem like it, the capital’s residents love pizza in all its variations, from the authentic Italian pizza to the cheapest version with unusual toppings. In Tokyo, you go from home delivery pizza which looks like Domino's Pizza, to some of the most beautiful creations you've ever seen, and the world (including, albeit reluctantly, Italians) has noticed. The reason is obvious: pizza makers of the capital didn't just perfect their own style but personalized the pizzas giving them an all-Japanese identity and flavor.
There is no better guide to Tokyo's gastronomic delights than the American chef Tim Anderson, owner of Japanese restaurant Nanban in Brixton, London, with his book Tokyo Stories. With more than eighty recipes, varying from photographs and anecdotes collected by Tim Anderson during his travels, it’s dedicated to Japanese fanatics and enthusiasts who want to know it all or want to experience it at home.
The best pizza in Tokyo
"At Pizza Studio Tamaki in Higashi-Azabu, Chef Tsubasa Tamaki uses cedarwood to give it a delicate but slightly peppery flavor. At Serinkan in Kamimeguro, Chef Susumu Kakinuma was the first to offer pizzas with exclusively Japanese ingredients. And finally, at the Savoy in Azabu Juban, they focus on fusion and fill the pizzas with tuna sashimi, mayonnaise, and sweet corn. Perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but believe me, in Japan the more extravagant the pizza the better. If you take a look at the menu of one of the biggest chains, Pizza La, you'll find ingredients that would horrify most Neapolitan pizza makers: mochi, Korean barbecue, chicken teriyaki, mayonnaise, and potatoes, to name but a few.
It's pointless to turn your nose up at it. It’s certainly not the real Neapolitan pizza recipe, but a Japanese version with seafood, which is definitely worth a try.
Japanese Pizza by Tim Anderson (4 round pizzas)
Ingredients:
For the dough
1 lb 12 oz flour
a pinch brewer's yeast
1 ⅔ cups water
1 ½ tbsp salt
For the seasoning
a 1 lb can of tomatoes
11 oz mozzarella fior di latte, cut into cubes
4 oz squid, cut into pieces
4 oz raw, peeled prawns with black tenderloin removed
4 oz crab meat (white, or half white and half brown)
the peel of half a lemon
chili flakes (to taste)
16-20 basil leaves
good quality olive oil
Method:
To prepare the dough, place the flour in a large bowl and pour the yeast dissolved in water in the center. Bring the flour towards the center and when it begins to amalgamate add the salt and continue kneading until it forms a mass. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and tap it with your fingers, then knead for 10-15 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then knead a few more times. Form a ball and divide it into 4 equal pieces, forming 4 balls.
Place the balls on a large baking tray, cover them with film, and let them rise overnight.
With a food processor, blend the tomatoes to obtain a slightly smooth sauce. Roll out the balls with a rolling pin or by hand to obtain discs about 25 cm wide. Heat a non-stick oven pan over medium-high heat. Transfer the pizza bases, one at a time, into the hot pan and cook for about 1 minute. Distribute the puree, spaced about 2 and a half cm from the edge, then the mozzarella, squid, prawns, and crab meat. Transfer to the top shelf of the oven and bake under the grill for another 2-3 minutes: the cheese melts and the edges go crispy in several places. Garnish with some grated lemon rind, chili flakes, basil leaves and a drizzle of oil.
