Jo's Ham & Pineapple Recipe

Activate yeast

In a small bowl, stir the warm water, sugar and active dry yeast. Let sit undisturbed for 5–10 minutes until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, yeast may be inactive; start over with fresh yeast.

Make dough

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well and add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for 5–6 minutes.

First rise

Lightly oil a clean bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm spot for 60–90 minutes, until doubled in size.

Shape

Punch down the dough and transfer to a floured surface. For one 12–14-inch pizza, shape into a ball and let rest for 10 minutes, covered. Then stretch or roll into a 12–14-inch circle, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Dust your pizza peel or baking sheet with cornmeal or flour.

In a small bowl, combine the tomato sauce, tomato paste, minced garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and sugar (if using). Mix until smooth and taste; adjust seasoning as needed. This yields enough to lightly cover the dough for one pizza (about 3 tbs).

Preheat oven

Place a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. If your oven doesn’t reach 500°F, preheat to the highest temperature available (475–500°F).

Assemble pizza

Brush the shaped dough edge lightly with 1 tbsp olive oil. Transfer dough to the prepared pizza peel or baking sheet. Spread the sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the outer crust bare (about 1/2–3/4 inch). Sprinkle 1 1/2–1 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella over the sauce. Distribute the diced or sliced ham evenly over the cheese, then scatter the drained pineapple chunks. Top with the remaining mozzarella (if desired) and grate the optional parmesan evenly over the top. If you like heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes lightly.

Bake

Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 8–12 minutes at 500°F (or 10–14 minutes at 475°F), until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Rotate the pizza halfway through baking for even color.

Finish

Remove pizza from oven and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest 2–3 minutes. Tear fresh basil leaves and scatter on top if using. Slice into 8 pieces and serve hot.

Use remaining cornmeal or flour to prevent sticking when transferring the pizza. Leftover sauce and toppings can be refrigerated separately for up to 3 days. Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat in a 400°F oven for 6–8 minutes for best results.