Lardo and Honey White Pizza

Imperial June 8, 2026June 8, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 4 servings, one 12-inch pizza
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, including dough rest and oven preheat

Quick Ingredients

1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature
1 tablespoon semolina flour or all-purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for the crust
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 ounces lardo, sliced paper-thin and kept chilled
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Do This

1. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 45 minutes while the oven preheats to 500°F with a pizza stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet inside.
2. Stir together ricotta, 1 tablespoon olive oil, grated garlic, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Stretch the dough into a 12-inch round on a semolina-dusted peel, board, or parchment.
4. Spread on the ricotta mixture, leaving a 1-inch border, then add mozzarella and Parmesan.
5. Bake at 500°F for 9 minutes, until the crust is puffed and browned and the cheese is bubbling.
6. Immediately top the hot pizza with thin lardo slices; let them soften for 1 minute.
7. Drizzle with honey, sprinkle with rosemary and cracked black pepper, then slice and serve right away.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Decadent but simple: A handful of high-impact ingredients make this feel restaurant-level without complicated steps.
Beautiful contrast: Salty, melting lardo meets sweet honey, sharp black pepper, and piney rosemary.
No tomato sauce needed: The creamy white base keeps the flavor rich, savory, and focused.
Fast once the oven is hot: After preheating, the pizza bakes in just 9 minutes.

Grocery List

Produce: 1 small garlic clove, fresh rosemary
Dairy: Whole-milk ricotta, low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, Parmesan cheese
Pantry: Pizza dough, semolina flour or all-purpose flour, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, fine sea salt, black pepper
Deli or Butcher: Paper-thin sliced lardo

Full Ingredients

For the Pizza Base

1 pound (454 g) pizza dough, homemade or store-bought, brought to room temperature
1 tablespoon semolina flour or all-purpose flour, for dusting the peel or board
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the crust edge

For the White Cheese Layer

1/2 cup (124 g) whole-milk ricotta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced to a paste
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces (170 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded
1 ounce (28 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

For the Finish

2 ounces (55 g) lardo, sliced paper-thin and kept chilled until needed
1 1/2 tablespoons (32 g) honey, warmed for 5 to 10 seconds if very thick
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
1 small pinch flaky sea salt, optional and only if your lardo is mild

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Bring the Dough to Room Temperature

Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator 45 minutes before shaping. Keep it covered in a lightly oiled bowl or under an overturned bowl so the surface does not dry out. Room-temperature dough stretches more easily and bakes with a lighter, puffier edge.

Step 2: Preheat the Oven Thoroughly

Place a pizza stone, baking steel, or an inverted heavy baking sheet on the upper-middle rack of the oven. Preheat to 500°F for 45 minutes. This long preheat is important: a very hot surface helps the crust brown quickly before the toppings overcook. If your oven only reaches 475°F, use 475°F and plan to bake the pizza for 11 to 12 minutes instead of 9 minutes.

Step 3: Mix the White Ricotta Base

In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, grated garlic, fine sea salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. The mixture should be creamy and spreadable. Keep the seasoning modest because lardo and Parmesan both bring saltiness.

Step 4: Shape the Dough

Lightly dust a pizza peel, rimless baking sheet, wooden board, or a sheet of parchment with 1 tablespoon semolina flour or all-purpose flour. Place the dough on top and gently press it into a flat round, leaving the outer 1 inch slightly thicker for the crust. Stretch the dough into a 12-inch circle, working slowly so it does not tear. If it springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching.

Step 5: Add the White Pizza Toppings

Spread the ricotta mixture over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border uncovered. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the ricotta, then finish with the grated Parmesan. Brush the exposed crust edge with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Give the pizza a small shake on the peel or board to make sure it moves freely before transferring it to the oven.

Step 6: Bake Until Blistered and Bubbling

Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 500°F for 9 minutes, rotating once after 5 minutes if your oven has hot spots. The pizza is ready when the crust is puffed and browned in spots, the underside is crisp, and the cheese is melted with lightly golden patches.

Step 7: Finish with Lardo, Honey, Rosemary, and Pepper

Transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Within 30 seconds, lay the chilled paper-thin lardo slices over the hot cheese in a single, slightly overlapping layer. Let the pizza sit for 1 minute so the lardo softens and melts gently from the residual heat. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons honey, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. Add a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt only if needed. Slice into 4 large pieces or 8 smaller pieces and serve immediately.

Pro Tips

Ask for paper-thin lardo: Lardo should be sliced almost like prosciutto. Thick slices will feel chewy and will not soften as delicately on the hot pizza.
Keep the lardo cold: Cold lardo is easier to separate and place neatly. Remove it from the refrigerator only when the pizza comes out of the oven.
Use low-moisture mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella releases more water and can make the center of this pizza soft instead of crisp.
Do not overdo the honey: The goal is a light sweet drizzle, not a sticky coating. Start with the measured amount and add more at the table if desired.
Trust the high heat: A fully preheated stone, steel, or baking sheet gives you better browning and a crispier bottom in a home oven.

Variations

Hot honey version: Stir 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes into the honey before drizzling for a sweet heat that works beautifully with the rich lardo.
Fig and lardo pizza: Add 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh figs or 2 tablespoons fig jam in small dots before baking, then finish with lardo, rosemary, and pepper after baking.
Lemon-rosemary finish: Add 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest with the rosemary for a brighter flavor that cuts through the richness.

Storage & Make-Ahead

This pizza is best eaten immediately, while the crust is crisp and the lardo is soft from the heat. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but the lardo will firm up when cold. Reheat slices on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes, then add a tiny fresh drizzle of honey after reheating. To prep ahead, mix the ricotta base up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate it in a covered container. You can also shred the cheeses and chop the rosemary 1 day ahead. Do not place the lardo on the pizza before baking; it should always go on after the pizza comes out of the oven.

Nutrition (per serving)