PROSCIUTTO + ARUGULA PIZZA

 

this is by far my favourite pizza. if you haven't already noticed from my previous posts, i am a big fan of prosciutto. this particular pizza is inspired by a pizza i had at one of my favourite toronto restaurants the good son in west queen west where freshly sliced prosciutto is LOADED on top. everything you see here is made from scratch; dough & sauce. this is a dough i have perfected over the years, and make some form of it every single week. it works well as a simple focaccia bread, calzone, and stromboli. it has an italian bakery like pizza taste & texture. i recenty purchased an emile henry pizza stone which gives the pizza a crusty exterior and fluffy interior, but the pizza will still be just as tasty without a stone.

ingredients

for the dough

  • 2 1/2 cups warm water
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (1 package)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour

for the sauce

  • 1 jar pureed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • salt & pepper

for the pizza (makes two pizzas)

  • 1 batch of pizza dough (above)
  • 1 batch of fresh pizza sauce (above)
  • 3 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
  • 100 grams thinly sliced prosciutto
  • 1 container of arugula
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt & pepper

directions

  • starting with the dough: in the bowl of a stand mixer using the dough hook add the water, yeast, oil, honey, and salt. let sit 5 minutes until the yeast begins to grow (if the yeast does not change, check the expiry date on the yeast).
  • add flour one cup at a time until a dough begins to form.
  • knead dough for 5-8 minutes, until the dough becomes elastic and smooth.
  • in a greased bowl, let dough rise covered for 1-2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
  • for best results, let dough rest in the fridge over night in a sealed zip lock bag.
  • for the sauce: mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook on low heat for 5-10 minutes, just to let the flavoured mend. remove from heat and let cool.
  • to assemble pizza: start by rolling out the dough. add sauce, cheese, and bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes.
  • once the pizza is fully cooked, remove from oven and scatter prosciutto slices on top.
  • finish off by tossing the arugula with vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. sprinkle on top of the pizza.