Have you ever watched the show “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” where Food Network Stars make you drool as they slowly pull-apart fresh donuts filled with warm chocolate sauce and slurp-up noodles circling a fork filled with cheesy pasta?
Yeah, I can’t decide how I feel about that show. I (obviously) vividly remember the episodes I watched and what the stars were eating. BUT, I feel hungry the ENTIRE time and there’s no recipe at the end to at least feel like I have some option of enjoying that succulent meal on my own. No, when this show ends, all I want to do is travel the country in search of hole-in-the-wall diners and unaffordable restaurants.
I used to think they were just doing it to tempt you. To make you get thisclose to licking the screen and seeing if you can at least get a small taste of the deep-fried-sugary-sweet-dough that they’ve just spent the last 10 minutes describing, only to have a commercial about laundry detergent blare in your face. To let you know what incredible foods they get to eat as famous chefs, whose whole job is to create and eat food that tastes good (okay, okay, I know there job consists of more than that but...).
BUT! Now, I get it. It’s not just to make you feel hungry even though you just ate a massive breakfast but are now wishing every bite of it was whatever you’re seeing on T.V.
NO! They go on-and-on-and-on describing these foods because THEY’RE JUST THAT GOOD. They’re telling you about the best thing they ever ate because it changed their life, they can’t stop dreaming about, and they want to make sure to SHARE this with YOU!
Now, I get it.
Because I ate this. A warm, soft, cheesy pizza crust that pulls-apart perfectly and has every bite contrasted by peppery arugula, salty parmesan cheese and delicate layers of prosciutto.
I ate it. And never wanted it to go away. With every piece, I tried to pay attention to all the different flavors, temperatures and textures playing off one another. I couldn’t even muster the energy to talk with my mouth full because I was so enchanted with every.single.bite. After every bite I was so excited to take another one, yet saddened to know there was that much less left to eat.
So, if I ever make it to be a guest on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” I can guarantee you I will be chowing down on this Arugula and Prosciutto Pizza and talking about it with stars in my eyes like I just fell in love. And it’s not to make you jealous. No, it’s to make sure you TRY THIS.
And guess what? I’ll even leave you with more than a Bounty Fabric Softener commercial. I’ll leave you with the entire recipe to recreate this on your own at home.
Arugula Prosciutto Pizza
Keywords: bake pizza/flatbread entree leafy greens cheese birthday
Ingredients
Dough (makes 2 crusts)
- 5 1/2 cups bread flour
- 2 1/3 cup warm water
- 3/4 tbs. salt
- 1 1/4 tsp. yeast
Toppings
- 4 tbs. olive oil, divided
- 1 pepper (optional), thinly sliced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced or grated
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 2-3 cups arugula
- 3 oz. very thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into strips
- 1/3 cup shaved parmesan
- About 5 leaves basil, roughly torn
Instructions
1. Combine bread flour and water and mix on low speed until blended. Set aside and let sit for 15 minutes.
2. Add the salt and yeast and mix on low speed for 5 minutes. Place in bowl lightly covered in oil (dough may be sticky, this is okay). Cover and set aside for 20 minutes. Uncover and punch-down dough. Cover and set aside 20 minutes. Uncover and punch-down dough again. Cover and set aside a third time for 20 minutes.
3. Finally, uncover and pinch-down dough. Cover and set aside for at least 2 (or up to about 8) hours.
4. About an hour before baking time, preheat oven to 450 degrees with baking stone in oven. Divide dough in half. Refrigerate half for later use. Take other half and shape into a circle. Dust top and roll out with rolling pin. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Uncover dough and stretch out. Cover and let sit 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, while dough is sitting for final rest, heat 2 tbs. olive oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper and saute about 5 minutes. Add garlic, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute. Set aside.
7. Drizzle 1 tbs. on dough then top dough evenly with mozzarella cheese. Top with onion mixture. Lightly sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
8. Place pizza dough on cornmeal-dusted pizza stone and bake for about 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
9. While pizza is baking, toss together arugula, prosciutto, parmesan, basil and remaining 1 tbs. olive oil.
10. Remove pizza crust from oven, toss with arugula prosciutto mixture. Serve and enjoy!
