Top This: Baby Sinclair (à la Roberta's)

[Photographs: Achint Saxena]

We caught up with pizza boss Lauren Calhoun at Roberta's in Bushwick to find out how to make their celebrated Baby Sinclair. The earthy pie is strewn with charred dinosaur kale and roasted maitake mushrooms, paired with a gooey dose of nutty, crystalline 9-month aged Prairie Breeze cheddar and a salty sprinkle of Parmesan. Calabrian chilis pack a spicy, fruity punch, and a finishing touch of thinly sliced garlic melts into sweet oblivion.

This may be the world's best use for kale. Don't believe me? Why don't you make the Baby Sinclair and decide for yourself. Click through the slideshow to find out how.

What You'll Need (for one pizza)

• 1 dough portion (Watch this video to learn how to make Neapolitan-style dough)
• Dinosaur kale (Roberta's kale comes from Satur Farms)
• Maitake mushrooms
• Cheddar cheese, diced (At Roberta's, they use Prairie Breeze Cheddar from Milton Creamery)
• Garlic, sliced thin
• Calabrian chili peppers packed in olive oil (you can find these at most Italian specialty stores)
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Banyuls vinegar*
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

*Banyuls vinegar is an aged vinegar made from French vins doux, or sweet wine. It imparts a mellow acidity to foods, and is a tad milder than red wine vinegar.

Dinosaur kale and Maitake mushrooms

Roberta's

261 Moore St Brooklyn, NY 11206 (map) 718-417-1118, robertaspizza.com