Italia Recipe
mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, parmigiano
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Ingredients
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Dough
Sauce & Finish
Toppings
Method
Dough
- 1
Bloom yeast
In a small bowl combine warm water (300 ml) with the sugar and active dry yeast (7 g). Stir gently and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy and fragrant.
- 2
Mix and knead
In a large bowl or stand mixer combine flour (400 g) and salt (1.5 tsp). Add the foamed yeast mixture and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes (or 6–7 minutes in a stand mixer with dough hook) until smooth and elastic.
- 3
- 4
Divide and rest
Punch down the dough, transfer to a lightly floured surface, and divide into two equal portions (for two 10–12" pizzas). Shape each into a tight ball, cover, and rest 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten before shaping.
Sauce & Finish
- 5
Prepare quick tomato sauce
While dough rises or rests, combine crushed San Marzano tomatoes (200 g), minced garlic (1 clove), 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, torn basil leaves (6), salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (1/2 tsp) in a bowl. Stir well and taste-adjust seasoning. The sauce should be bright and lightly seasoned — it will cook briefly on the hot pizza, so keep it simple.
Toppings & Assembly
- 6
Preheat oven
Place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in the oven and preheat at the highest setting (250–275°C / 475–525°F) for at least 30 minutes so it is very hot.
- 7
Shape dough
On a lightly floured surface, press and stretch one dough ball into a 10–12 inch round, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. Use your hands rather than a rolling pin to preserve air pockets.
- 8
Sauce and cheese
Spread a thin layer (about 3–4 tbs) of the prepared tomato sauce over the dough, leaving the rim exposed. Distribute half of the sliced/torn mozzarella (about 100 g) evenly over the sauce.
- 9
Bake
Transfer the dressed pizza to the preheated stone or sheet using a peel or inverted baking sheet. Bake 7–10 minutes, rotating once halfway, until crust is blistered and golden and cheese is bubbling but not over-browned.
- 10
Finish with prosciutto & greens
Remove pizza from oven. Immediately drape thin slices of prosciutto (about 50 g per pizza) across the hot pizza so they warm but do not crisp. Top with a generous handful of fresh arugula (30 g), scatter Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings (15 g), and finish with a light drizzle of finishing olive oil (1 tsp) and optional crushed red pepper (1/8 tsp) if desired.
- 11
Serve
Slice and serve hot so the mozzarella is stretchy and the prosciutto and arugula are bright. Repeat assembly and bake for the second pizza if making two.
