Arugula and Prosciutto Pizza
This pie is based on a prosciutto arugula pizza once eaten at a trattoria high above the ocean in the impossibly scenic village of Positano, which clings to the cliffs above Italy's Amalfi Coast. Though you'll have a tough time re-creating the setting, this combination of ingredients flirts with those magical flavors. The cherry tomatoes roast into sweet little orbs of sauce, the prosciutto adds a salty punch, and the arugula, which wilts gently from the residual heat of the pizza, brings a fresh, peppery note to the pie. Bellisima!
Nutrition: 400 calories, 12 g fat (5 g saturated), 980 mg sodium
Serves 4
You'll Need
Pizza dough, 12 oz store-bought pizza dough, or 1 large pre-baked crust, such as Boboli
1 cup pizza sauce
11⁄2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups arugula
6 slices prosciutto, cut or torn into thin strips
Shaved Parmesan
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. If you have a pizza stone, place on the bottom rack of the oven.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces (unless you're using a pre-baked crust).
- On a well-floured surface, use a rolling pin to work the dough into two thin circles, about 12" in diameter.
- If you have a pizza stone, place one circle of dough on a pizza peel, cover with a light layer of pizza sauce, then top with half the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes.
- Slide directly onto the pizza stone and bake for about 8 minutes, until the edge of the dough is lightly browned.
- If you don't have a pizza stone, cook the pizzas on a baking sheet instead.
- Remove the pizza to a cutting board and immediately top with half the arugula (which will wilt lightly from the heat), half the prosciutto, and a good measure of shaved or grated Parmesan. (If you have a large block of Parmesan, simply use a vegetable peeler to shave thin slices of cheese over the top.)
- Cut the pizza into six or eight slices.
- Repeat with the other circle of dough and the remaining ingredients.
Eat This Tip
The beauty of pizza is its boundlessness; if you can imagine it, you can make it. Here are three out-of-the-ordinary pizza ideas worth trying:
- Pesto base topped with grilled chicken, roasted peppers, and goat cheese
- Roasted asparagus spears, smoked mozzarella, and a fried egg
- Mascarpone or ricotta as the base, topped with grilled peaches and balsamic. Dessert!
This recipe (and hundreds more!) came from one of our Cook This, Not That! books. For more easy cooking ideas, you can also buy the book!