around because it’s where I was born, where my Dad was raised, and just filled with the best food you can find anywhere! I’m just always in love while I’m there.
I’ve shared one of my favorite photos/moments below. Anyway, whenever I return from NY, I always hit the kitchen because I come home so inspired by all the wonderful food. Of course I had New York pizza while I was there, but the best meal I had was in SOHO at a cool place called Mercer Kitchen. I ordered scallops with green pea ravioli that was to die for! I will make an attempt to duplicate that dish, but for now, I’ll just share the pizza I made today just because it was so simply delicious. It never ceases to amaze me how the simplest ingredients can be so compelling! The thing that’s so great about this combo, is the hint of lemon that compliments the arugula and mixes so well with the savory prosciutto. And of course the garlic! Hope you try it!
Prosciutto, Garlic and Lemony Arugula Pizza
Ingredients
- Pizza Dough:
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 packets active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of salt
- Topping
- about 2 cups cleaned dried arugula
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- a splash or two of white balsamic vinegar and lemon juice or my favorite Tres Classique Lemon Splash http://bit.ly/noT4wl.
- slices of mozzarella cheese thinly sliced
- thin slices prosciutto
- a little olive oil and kosher salt
- a couple pinches oregano
Instructions
- Prepare whole wheat pizza dough:
- In one cup of luke warm water, add sugar and yeast and let dissolve until a little foamy. In large mixing bowl, add flours and salt. Add the olive oil to the water and yeast mixture. Now pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until everything comes together. Turn out onto dry and lightly floured surface.
- Now the fun part. Knead the dough (by hand) for about 8-10 minutes. You will need to add a tiny bit of flour to your hands and the surface if it gets a little sticky.
- Form a large ball and pull the sides under to make a tight ball, coat lightly with olive oil and let rise for about an hour in a olive oil coated bowl, covered with a towel. note: I always cover the ball of dough lightly with plastic wrap before you cover with a towel, but you don’t have to.
- After it’s doubled in size, punch it down, cut it in half and knead a couple times. Let rise another 45 minutes and then they are ready to use. If you’re not going to use right away, freeze or place in refrigerator. I just slip into ziplocs.
- Preparation and Assembly
- On a floured surface, roll the dough out. I use my hands to stretch the dough in combination with a rolling pin. It about 10-12 inches in diameter. Make a little crust by pushing lightly from the middle toward the outside edges. It will come out more evenly if you just roll up from the middle, turn the dough a couple inches and repeat until finished. Place the dough on pizza peel dusted in cornmeal.
- Rub a little olive oil in your hands and then lightly coat the top of the pizza dough. Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Toss arugula with the lemon splash or a little olive oil and lemon juice.
- Make sure to prepare the pizza on a wooden pizza spatula (dusted with corn meal or cornflake crumbs) or something that will help you easily slide into the oven and on to the pizza stone.
- Arrange one layer of mozzarella cheese on the pizza cruzt and then layer the prosciutto. Note: Bake for about 1o minutes, or until the topping and the crust looks a little browned and done.
- Remove pizza from the oven and toss the greens on the top. Then slice with a pizza cutter.
Serving Suggestion
Get the wine or the beer, and eat it hot! Enjoy!
It's no secret NYC has some of the best food in the world. This looks sooo good. My favorite NYC spot is Roxi's Deli right next to the Marriott Marquis on Broadway. I get a slice of cheesecake to go–they are massive slices. The coconut is worth every gut-busting calorie.
Mmm…pizza is always delicious – and this one looks amazing!
Hi Jodi Nina! I love ~New York~
I also was raised in the Metropolitan area. Your right the foods are fabulous, from many cultures!
I like everything about this pizza!
O.K. your touch of lemon adds a very attractive flavor, I am sure.
Thanks for your lemon comment, Chef Chuck – because I forgot to add that as an ingredient. Now it's fixed!
This looks delicious! We've been making homemade pizza lately and just loving it. I can't wait to try this recipe (though my oldest is a vegetarian so I might have to modify it).
Thanks for coming over to my Mothering.com blog Jodi. I sent you an email (thanking you for the cab ride) but I think you may not have gotten it? In any case, I look forward to reading your blog. Even if it is making me hungry…
Your welcome, Jodi Nina:)