Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza

Yes, I’m making pizza again.  I can’t help it.  It’s such a perfect meal, and you can make one out of anything!  I’m actually proud of my self-control, and my demonstrated abstinence from more prolific pizza postings.  So far, this is only my fourth recipe in just under a year, which has seen The Ultimate Combo Pizza, Flatbread Pizza with Beef, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions, and my unique and (it tickles me to say) popular Salmon and Herb Pizza.

And although I love them all, prosciutto and arugula pizza is one of my absolute favorites.  It’s a perfect Spring-time meal.  Thin and crispy crust, melted cheese, and the most beautiful baby arugula and prosciutto salad on top.  It’s so bright and flavorful that it is a perfect ambassador for the warm weather to come.  It’s also a very light and low-fat option compared to many other pizzas that include delicious but (let’s be honest) more fatty meats.

I’ve made it with the prosciutto and arugula under the cheese, so that everything is baked.  But I have decided I prefer this more traditional version that highlights those two ingredients as fresh toppings.  It’s so easy to make, so let’s get to it!

MAKING PROSCIUTTO AND ARUGULA PIZZA

Some prosciutto and arugula pizzas call for tomato sauce.  But as many of you know, my family much prefers white pizzas.

Many of the white prosciutto and arugula pizzas call for only olive oil, garlic, and cheese.  I may have mentioned this before, but I just don’t think a pizza is a pizza without onions.  And I love the briny, Mediterranean flavor of Kalamata olives.  So, I add them too.

It’s also key to select the leanest prosciutto you can find.  Often, prosciutto slices have wide rings of fat.  For this pizza, I like it nice and lean, as you can see by the minimal amount of fat in the prosciutto pictured above.

Start by heating a pizza stone in an oven set to as high as it will go.  Some ovens go to 500° F.  My current oven goes to 550° F, so that’s what I use.  Be sure to pre-heat the stone for 30 minutes to insure it is plenty hot.

Roll out the pizza dough so that it is nice and thin, and about 15-inches in diameter.  Then spread some of the olive oil, minced garlic, the onions, and Kalamata olives up to an inch of the edge of the crust.

I use a pizza peel covered in parchment paper.  Then I slide the pizza and parchment paper directly onto the pre-heated pizza stone.  If you don’t have a pizza peel, you can use a large, inverted baking sheet as a base for your parchment paper, and then build your pizza on that.

Then top with the cheese.

Bake for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust and cheese start to turn golden brown.

Meanwhile, lightly dress the arugula with some olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and freshly cracked pepper.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes.  The cheese will be very hot and bubbly.  If you top it with the salad right away, the arugula will wilt.

After the pizza has cooled a little bit, top with the dressed arugula, randomly torn strips of prosciutto, and shaved Parmesan.

You should end up with a pizza that looks something like this.

Hey, don’t admire it for too long.  Get in there and slice that baby up!  You’ve waited long enough!  Oh, wait!  This is my pizza, not yours.  Sorry, I got a little carried away.

See that crispy, crispy thin crust?  And that beautiful salad topping that just screams freshness?

This is such a special treat!  My wish for each and every one of you is an abundance of prosciutto and arugula pizza!  And for me too, of course!

Now go on, get into that kitchen and whip yourself up one.  It is SOOOOO GOOOOD!

Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza

Lori

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 8 mins

Total Time 18 mins

Servings 8 Slices

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound raw pizza dough <a href="https://www.muttandchops.com/ultimate-combo-pizza/">recipe here</a> or <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/frozen-organic-pizza-dough/186904370">store-bought recommendation</a>
• Flour for dusting
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 1 very large garlic clove minced
• 2 tablespoons thinly-sliced onions
• 10 Kalamata olives pitted and sliced in half
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella
• 3 ounces lean prosciutto torn into strips
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt
• Fresh cracked pepper
• Shaved Parmesan

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat a pizza stone in the oven at the highest temperature available (preferably 550° F) for 30 minutes.
• Place a sheet of parchment paper over a pizza peel or a large, inverted baking sheet.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the pizza dough thinly, to about a 15-inch diameter.
• Next, spread 2 tablespoons of olive oil on the rolled crust. up to 1-inch of the edge
• Then spread the minced garlic evenly over the crust.
• Evenly distribute the slivered onions and cut Kalamata olives on top of the olive oil and garlic.
• Finally, top everything with the mozzarella.
• Place in the oven and bake until the cheese and crust turn golden brown in spots (about 6 - 8 minutes, depending on oven temperature).
• Meanwhile dress the arugula with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the lemon juice, salt and freshly cracked pepper.
• Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes so that the excessive heat does not wilt the arugula.
• Then top the pizza with the dressed arugula, random strips of the prosciutto, and the shaved Parmesan.
• Serve.