Romesco Pizza
California Almond Romesco, Braised Baby Leeks, ‘Nduja, Pecorino Romano, Garrotxa
Chef Max Blachman-Gentile of Jules | San Francisco, CA
Yield: 1 pizza
This pizza is inspired by Spanish calçots with romesco, a classic combination I love. In California, we’re lucky to have beautiful baby leeks this time of year, a bit earlier than many places begin to see spring alliums. The California almonds bring a toasty, nutty creaminess to the smoky, sweet sauce. I decided to leave some of the almonds chopped rather than fully blended to preserve their crunch and add texture to the pizza.
Adapted by StarChefs | February 2026 | Photo: Andria Lo
INGREDIENTS
Pickled Habanero Peppers:
150 grams habanero peppers
Distilled vinegar
Granulated sugar
Kosher salt
California Almond Romesco:
660 grams roasted red peppers
60 grams toasted whole California almonds
50 grams lemon juice
12 grams sliced garlic
12 grams kosher salt
8 grams pimentón
3 grams toasted cumin seeds, ground
75 grams olive oil
90 grams toasted California almonds, chopped
To Assemble and Serve:
All-purpose flour
Your favorite pizza sourdough
Heavy cream
Grated Pecorino Romano
Shredded Garrotxa
White wine-braised baby leeks
‘Nduja
METHOD
For the Pickled Habanero Peppers:
Place peppers in a nonreactive container and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring desired amount vinegar and sugar to a boil. Season with salt. Pour liquid over peppers. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate.
For the California Almond Romesco:
In a blender, combine peppers, whole California almonds, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pimentón, cumin, 62 grams ice, Pickled Habanero Peppers, and 120 grams reserved Pickled Habanero Peppers pickling liquid. Blend until smooth. With the machine running on low speed, stream in olive oil, blending until mixture is fully emulsified. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Fold in chopped California almonds. Let cool. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve:
Heat oven to 650°F. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Stretch to desired size. Top with a thin layer heavy cream and California Almond Romesco followed by cheeses, baby leeks, and ‘nduja. Transfer to a pizza stone and bake until desired doneness.
