Pizza with Ham and Mozzarella
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Cooking time: 30 - 60 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
Pizza with Ham and Mozzarella Time: 60 minutes if you make the crust
30 minutes with purchased crust
Crust It's easy if you have the time
2/3 cup warm water, 105 - 115F, hotter will kill the yeast
1 pkg (2 tsp) active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar - you need this to 'feed' the yeast
1/2 tsp salt - you need this to 'control' the yeast
1 tbs olive oil
2 cups flour
Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water and let sit a few minutes to 'proof' - start to look foamy to prove that the yeast is still alive. If you have a mixer with a dough hook put the yeast and all remaining ingredients in mixer bowl. Blend with dough hook attachment until well mixed then kneed for an additional 3 minutes. Put in a warm place to rise. If making by hand put yeast in large bowl along with all of the rest of the ingredients minus 1/2 cup flower. Stir to combine. Put remaining flour on work surface, add dough and kneed until smooth and elastic - about 10 minutes. As remaining flour is incorporated dough will become less sticky. Put in warm place to rise. After dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes, punch down. Lightly butter a pizza pan or large baking sheet. Roll dough out with a rolling pin as best you can. Then put on pan and stretch it to fit, patting it out with your fingers. If it keeps springing back wait a few minutes - or accept that your pizza will be slightly smaller than anticipated. Try not to put any holes in the crust. You are now ready to assemble the pizza.
Topping
1 large onion
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp oregano
2 cloves garlic
5 - 6 tomatoes
Prosciutto, 5 - 6 slices You could use ordinary ham...
1/2 cup sliced olives
1 fresh mozzarella, sliced (if you are making a large pizza you might want 2)
Finely chop onions and garlic. Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet and sauté onions, garlic and oregano until tender. Remove and set aside. Slice tomatoes as thin as you can - you should get 5 or 6 slices from each one. Tear or cut Prosciutto into large pieces. Slice olives. Slice mozzarella, then cut into chunks.
Pizza
On just-finished crust or your purchased crust: Spread onion/garlic mixture evenly over crust. Lay tomatoes evenly over crust - they should be touching and cover the entire crust. Bake at 450F (225C) for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and add Prosciutto, olives, and cheese. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes or until crust is brown and cheese bubbling. Remove from oven, slice and serve.
Note: Here the olives on a pizza are always black - and with pits!
Note 2: If you use fresh mozzarella there will be a bit of milk released as it melts so be careful when you take it out of the oven. I just soak it up lightly with a paper towel before serving.
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Cooking Schedule: 30-60 minutes |
Sauté onion, garlic and oregano |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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