Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula

After last week's Bruschetta Pizza you would think my pizza craving would have been satisfied.

Well, if that's what you thought, you clearly don't know me so well.

Pizza Every Day would probably be my platform if I were running for president.  I am a pro at justifying pizza as a healthy meal (it hits 3 food important food groups!)  It's one of the great comfort foods of our time.  Yeah, I pretty much love the stuff.

This version is similar to a flatbread (obviously just another, fancier, name for pizza) we had at Cru Cellars, our local wine bar just down the street (within stumbling distance, I like to say).  Theirs had bleu cheese where this one uses mozzarella and parmesan.  Theirs was a rectangle, this a circle.  To-may-to, to-mah-to.  And this is a Pioneer Woman recipe, so you know it's going to be good.

The original recipe makes one large pizza but I roughly halved it to use the remainder of the Trader Joe's pizza dough I had in the refrigerator and made two small pizzas out of it.  The recipe can be doubled for a full 1 pound ball of pizza dough if serving more than 4.

sauced...

cheesed...

baked...

topped....

Served.

I also think this would make a nice appetizer if you formed it in the shape of a long, thin rectangle and sliced it crosswise into strips, squares or triangles.

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula
serves 3-4
adapted from The Pioneer Woman

1/2 of a 1 lb ball of prepared pizza dough
2-3 Tablespoons fig butter (I used Trader Joe's, or fig jam, or fig spread)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/4 lb shaved or thinly sliced Prosciutto
2 large handfulls arugula, washed and dried
2 Tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 450 degrees for at least 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, let refrigerated pizza dough sit out at room temperature for 20 minutes.  Then, roll the dough out into a thin circle about 1/4-1/3" thick on a floured surface, or alternately make two "personal size" pizzas.  Transfer the pizza dough onto a lightly oiled, rimless baking sheet.

Spread the fig butter across the pizza dough in a thin, even layer.  Then, evenly distribute the mozzarella cheese over the fig butter and sprinkle on a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper.  Transfer the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake 10-15 minutes (or up to 20 minutes, depending on thickness of your pizza crust) until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown.

Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately top the hot pizza with the slices of Prosciutto.  Before serving, top the pizza with the arugula and the shredded parmesan cheese.  Cut into wedges, slices or squares and serve warm.

For 1/2 pound of pizza dough, this should make 1 medium pizza or two "personal" pizzas.  This will serve 2 very hungry individuals or 3-4 normal people.

What are your favorite pizza toppings?  What was the best pizza pie you ever had?  


I generally go for the veggie pizza - loaded up with onions, bell peppers, olives, mushrooms but I wouldn't turn down a slice with some italian sausage thrown on there too.

The best pizza I ever had was on my honeymoon in Napa at a place called Azzurro.  I had the Salciccia  which was a thin, crisp, ever-so-slightly-charred crust with fennel sausage, onion, mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce.  Perfecto!

Bruschetta Pizza

As a military wife there are plenty of times I find myself eating dinner solo.

Deployments, TAD's, TDY's (same thing?), FEX's...you get the point.  (If you have no idea what those acronyms mean, you must not be a military spouse).  There are seemingly endless reasons why I have gotten really good at cooking for one.

Dinners for one need to be simple.  On those nights when Brian is away, that's my chance to indulge in sappy Lifetime movies or Rom-Com's from Netflix (better yet, 1980's Rom-Com's from Netflix - Can't Buy Me Love, anyone?!).  I don't have time for braising meats, deglazing a pan or reducing a sauce.

 

Dinners for one need to be healthy.  Eating alone is no excuse for eating junk.  Never ever.

Dinners for one need to be delicious and fresh.  There is nothing more depressing than re-heating the same leftovers three nights in a row because you made way too much for one person.

I came up with this Bruschetta Pizza For One on one of those nights when I wanted something that fit all of those criteria.  Simple, healthy, delicious, fresh.  Check.

Pizza for one can be simple if you use pre-made pizza dough from the grocery store (I like Trader Joe's). Just rip off a small piece of dough (about 1/2 the size of your fist) from the 1-pound dough ball.  That should give you the perfect size portion for one.  (When working with prepared dough, always let it sit out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before trying to work with it).  Then, just roll or press it out on a floured surface so it's thin.  I recommend baking the raw dough, brushed with garlic oil, on a pre-heated baking stone for 5 minutes before topping it.

Trader Joe's Garlic Naan makes a delicious pizza crust for one!  I also like Trader Joe's Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.

If you prefer not to use pizza dough (or to save yourself one step in the recipe), try using a piece of garlic Naan bread, an Indian flatbread.  I've seen it by the deli at the grocery store or Trader Joe's sells it frozen in a resealable package.  Just pull a piece from the freezer, brush it with a little olive oil and you're set, no need to thaw it first.  Pita bread would also work, as a substitute.

I've made this pizza several times with both the Naan and the pizza dough.  I can't say I prefer one or the other - both are delicious, easy to work with and compliment this recipe beautifully.

Bruschetta toppings

Pesto + Balsamic Vinaigrette "pizza sauce"

Ready to bake

Bruschetta Pizza for One
serves 1
an original recipe

1 3-4 oz piece of pizza dough, rolled or pressed thin OR 1 slice of garlic Naan bread
extra virgin olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon prepared pesto
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
3 tablespoons diced fresh tomato (about 3-4 diced cherry tomatoes, 1/3 of a medium tomato or about 1 Roma tomato)
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
fresh basil, torn or thinly sliced (optional)

Preheat a baking stone in the middle of the oven to 400 degrees for 30 minutes while you prepare your pizza ingredients.

(Pick up with the next step if using frozen or fresh Naan bread).  If using raw pizza dough:  press the dough into a thin (1/4-1/2'' thick) circle on a well-floured surface.  Brush dough with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.  Par bake the pizza dough on the pre-heated baking stone for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven.

In a small bowl, stir together the pesto and the balsamic vinaigrette.  Add the diced tomato, onion and minced garlic to the bowl and toss in the pesto-vinaigrette.

Transfer the entire contents of the bowl onto the par-cooked pizza dough or the Naan bread and spread it out to cover the surface of the bread.  Top the pizza with the crumbled feta.  Transfer the pizza onto the baking stone in the center of the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven when the crust is cooked, slightly brown on the bottom and the feta is just barely melting.  Top with the basil.

Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Grilled Pizza

After our first successful attempt at grilled pizza we couldn't wait long before trying it again.

It's just so convenient to use the grill and I prefer to avoid heating up our entire house by turning the oven up to 500 degrees.  I love our gas stove but hot damn if it doesn't turn the house into a sauna any time I use it.

We used a ball of refrigerated Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough that Brian rolled out and cut into two half-moons so we could each top our own as we liked.  Why he didn't just cut it first, then roll it into two round pizzas, I'll never understand (Love you, Brian!)

His was similar to our last grilled pizza:  spread with pesto and topped with cooked chicken and mozzarella cheese.  This time he left off the sliced tomatoes and added some sliced red onions and chopped baby spinach.  I had a bite, it was delicious!

I decided to go vegetarian with mine so I roasted some cubed butternut squash in the oven at 425 degrees with a little olive oil, salt and pepper until it was caramelized and fully cooked.  I also caramelized about 1/3 of a sweet yellow onion in a little olive oil and let it cook on medium for a good 30 minutes until soft and brown, then I added about a teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and just let the onions pick up all that flavor.

I also topped mine with a few handfuls of sauteed kale that I wilted down in a little garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil, about 1-2 ounces of goat cheese and a small sprinkling of shredded fresh mozzarella cheese.  

Toppings, clockwise from top left:  goat cheese, wilted kale, roasted butternut squash and caramelized onions, garlic-infused olive oil.

It was amazing.  Even my meat-lover husband thought it was phenomenal.


A few helpful pointers:

Make sure you brush the crust with olive oil so it doesn't stick to the grill grates!  Brush the first side, then place that side DOWN on the grill.  Once it's cooking on the first side, brush the second side with olive oil.  Flip the crust over onto the second side, and then top your pizza.

If my description is confusing, check The Kitchn's helpful guide to grilling pizza.

Brush the olive oil onto the second side while the first side grills.

Once the pizzas are topped, then close the lid so the cheese gets nice and melty.

Serve it up with a nice side salad and a glass of Pinot Noir.

Or Chardonnay, that would also be lovely.

Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash, Kale and Goat Cheese Grilled Pizza

makes 1 large pizza, enough to serve 4

2 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash (1'' cubes)

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 1/2 cups kale, chopped

1 lb pizza dough

3 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil, divided

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

2 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

Prepare the roasted squash:  Toss squash pieces with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper.  Roast at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, turning once or twice, until cooked and edges are caramelized.  Set aside until ready to assemble pizza. 

Prepare the caramelized onions:  Melt 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add the sliced onions and cook 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are caramelized.  Season onions with a little salt and pepper, then add the thyme and the balsamic vinegar and stir, cook 2-3 more minutes, then remove from heat and set aside until ready to assemble the pizza.

Prepare the kale:  Place chopped kale into a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon of the garlic-infused olive oil over medium heat, toss well to coat.  Cover pot with the lid and wilt the kale for about 5-7 minutes, removing the lid to stir occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside until ready to assemble pizza.   

Preheat grill to 500-600 degrees or as hot as your grill allows, allow about 20-30 minutes for the grill to heat up.  Meanwhile, prepare pizza toppings as described above and allow pizza dough to sit at room temperature about 20-30 minutes before attempting to work with it.  

Roll or press out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick and shape as you wish (round, square, etc.).  Brush the surface of a rimless baking sheet with about 1- 1/2 tablespoons of the garlic-infused olive oil.  Transfer the pizza dough onto the oiled baking sheet (this is to coat one side of the pizza dough with oil).  

Once the grill is pre-heated, slide the pizza dough off of the rimless baking sheet directly onto the grill grates (the oiled side should be in contact with the grill grates).  With the lid of the grill open, allow the bottom side of the pizza dough to cook approximately 3 minutes, checking after 2 minutes to make sure it's not burning.  Meanwhile, brush the top side of the pizza dough with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of garlic-infused olive oil.  

Once the bottom of the pizza is grilled, flip the pizza onto the other side.  For this step you can use tongs, a spatula or slide the pizza onto the rimless baking sheet in order to flip it over.  Immediately and quickly add your pizza toppings, distributing them evenly across the surface of the pizza.  Close the grill lid and allow pizza to cook 5-8 minutes, until cheese is melted and starting to brown, making sure not to allow the bottom of the pizza to burn.  Serve pizza hot.  

Grilled Pesto Pizza with Balsamic Chicken and Tomatoes

Monday night's dinner was a total WIN:  we made pizza on the grill using fresh homemade basil pesto and it was SO good!

It was our first time grilling pizza and we were pretty excited with the results.  Now, I know a lot of you guys live where it's a little too chilly to be outside at the grill right now but here in Tampa the weather has been lovely.  Just bookmark this recipe (or you could Pin it!) for the warmer days ahead!

I've been wanting to grill pizza directly on the grill grates for at least the last two summers (we've grilled it on a pizza stone before with good results) and I thought this was a good time to do a trial run before summer hits and it gets too hot to turn the oven up to 500 degrees.  You know, it was all in the interest of practice.

Brian used The Kitchn's method and it worked well.  We  loved the slightly charred flavor from the grill.  Grilled pizza is a WIN!

The pizza dough was from Trader Joe's - we used the whole wheat pizza dough that they sell in the refrigerated section.  We love to make our own pizza dough but TJ's is so convenient it's ridiculous.

The "sauce" was homemade pesto that I made from my basil plant in the backyard (yep, it's still a-blooming here in Florida).  I have used The Barefoot Contessa's recipe for basil pesto before with good results, but it turned out awesome this time.  I've provided the recipe with my changes below.

I halved The BC's recipe volume so it was perfect in my Mini-Prep Food Processor.  I don't think this lil guy could have handled the full recipe.  

On top of that we added fresh mozzarella (another TJ's buy), a sliced tomato and cooked balsamic-marinated chicken.  I would have sprinkled fresh basil on top before serving but I was fresh out after using it all in the pesto!

I ate the leftover pizza with a salad for lunch the next afternoon.  So delicious!

Grilled Pesto Pizza with Balsamic Chicken and Tomatoes
serves 4
pizza grilling method from The Kitchn

1 large chicken breast
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

1 pound ball whole wheat pizza dough
extra virgin olive oil
prepared basil pesto (see recipe below)
1 tomato, sliced thin
1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced very thin
fresh basil, thinly sliced, for serving

Prepare the Balsamic Chicken:

Cut the chicken breast into 1'' chunks and place in a ziploc bag.  Pour 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar onto chicken and close bag.  Make sure vinegar is in contact with all of the chicken and allow to marinate in the refrigerator 1 hour.

Preheat broiler to high and line a sheet pan with foil.  Spray foil with nonstick baking spray.  Put marinated chicken onto prepared baking sheet in one layer, making sure the pieces are not touching, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Broil 5-7 minutes until fully cooked, stirring and rotating the tray once or twice to insure even cooking.  Remove from oven and allow chicken to cool slightly while you prepare other ingredients.

Prepare the Pizza Dough and Get the Grill Ready:

While chicken is marinating, remove pizza dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before manipulating it.  Preheat grill to about 500-600 degrees, as hot as you can get it.  This could take 20 or 30 minutes depending on your grill.

Lightly oil one side of the pizza dough with extra virgin olive oil (a neat little trick is to oil a rimless baking sheet and roll the dough out on top of it - this way, the dough slides right off the baking sheet and onto the grill - no muss, no fuss!).  Depending on your tastes, roll the dough out into a circle as thin as you dare without risking a tear (this will yield a thin, crispy crust) or about 1/3 inch thick (for a thicker, doughy crust).  With the grill cover open (or off), place the dough directly on the grates for about three minutes (feel free to check the underside with a spatula to ensure the bottom isn't getting burned).

At the three minute mark, use your rimless baking sheet (or spatulas) to flip the dough.  Immediately spread the pesto and add the other toppings - but hurry!  When finished, quickly replace the grill cover and allow to cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browning.  Remove from the grill and serve fresh and hot!


Basil and Spinach Pesto
makes 2 cups
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

1/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Place the cashews and garlic in the bowl of a mini-food processor.  Process for 20-30 seconds until finely chopped.  Add the basil, spinach, salt and pepper and pulse a few times to start to break down the greens.  Add the olive oil in two increments, pulsing in between additions and process until pesto is pureed.  Add the Romano cheese and puree another 30 seconds - 1 minute.  Use immediately or store in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Pizza for One

Who doesn't love pizza?  Oh fine, I'm sure there are some weirdos out there that don't love the tangy tomato sauce, the gooey cheese, the crispy crust, the endless toppings.  Well, this blog post is not for those people.

This post is for people who love the taste of pizza but don't always want the heaviness of a great big piece of it.  Don't get me wrong, sometimes there's nothing better than a slice of thin crust pizza with all the toppings!  Brian and I make our own homemade pizza crust and really love grilling our pizzas or baking them in a super-hot oven on a baking stone - there's really very few more satisfying meals than homemade pizza and a big salad.  But I'm just speaking for myself when I say that usually after a slice (or two) I have to find a soft couch somewhere to pass out.  My body can't handle the influx of all those carbs without my eyelids getting heavy, I start to yawn and my ability to focus just goes right out the window.  This might not be a big deal if you don't have plans after the meal but it isn't a great situation if you have to go back to work after lunch or you planned on watching a movie after dinner.  

Another problem I have with pizza is it's size.  Especially when it's just me at home by myself as I have been for the better part of the last month while my husband is overseas.  Sure I could just refrigerate the leftovers and reheat them the next day but a) I don't really like leftovers unless I can reinvent them somehow and b) it never tastes nearly as good reheated!  By all means, if you have come up with a good way to "upcycle" pizza-leftovers let me know!!  Leftover pizza casserole?  Pizza tacos??  Anyone?  Bueller?  

Enter the Portobello Pizza for One!  You can probably discern from the name that you pretty much HAVE to like (or at least be indifferent to) mushrooms  in order to enjoy this pizza.  It replaces a pizza crust with a portobello mushroom and then you top your pizza however you like.  Some of my favorite topping combinations are:  

*Homemade tomato sauce, cooked spicy Italian sausage, sliced black olives, sauteed red bell peppers, fresh mozzarella cheese and sliced basil leaves

*Thinly sliced apple, chopped fresh sage, Fontina cheese

*Prepared pesto, sundried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced basil

Some things to know before you try this:  Don't expect the mushroom to taste like a pizza crust.  It does not.  It will not get crispy at all, so if you really need something with a satisfying crunch this won't do it for ya!  There are plenty of other single-serving pizza crust substitutes you could try instead (english muffin, tortilla, won-ton wrapper, etc.) if you want something crispy.  The mushroom will be firm but moist and have a deep mushroom-y flavor (ha!  for lack of a better descriptor).  Also, I recommend cooking your toppings before putting them on top of the mushroom base.  Any meat toppings like sausage or chicken should be fully cooked all the way through before the mushroom pizza goes into the oven.  The same goes for veggie toppings, unless you are OK with them tasting a little "raw."  A light saute is all it takes to get them ready, or better yet use up some leftover cooked vegetables from last night's dinner (see what I mean about "upcycling" leftovers?!!)

Portobello Mushroom "Pizza" for One
serves 1
Adapted from Cooking Illustrated, as found on The Calorie Conscious Gourmet

1 or 2 Portobello mushroom caps (depending how hungry you are)
olive oil
salt & pepper
prepared sauce (homemade marinara sauce or store-bought tomato sauce, or see suggestion above) - about 2 tablespoons per mushroom
1/2 to 1 oz mozzarella cheese per mushroom, shredded
pizza toppings:  1-2 tablespoons red bell pepper, 1 tablespoon cooked italian sausage crumbles, 1/2 tablespoon black olives - or whatever you like, no more than 1/4 cup toppings per mushroom
fresh herbs, for serving

Place a rimmed baking sheet into the oven and heat oven to 400.

Meanwhile prepare mushroom(s):  gently wipe cap with a clean damp paper towel, remove the stem, and  cut 1/4 inch deep slits into the non-gill side of the mushroom, spaced about 1/2 inch apart (this will help some of the moisture drain out of the mushroom during cooking so you don't end up with a soggy pizza).

Lightly brush non-gill side of mushroom with olive and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place oiled side down (gill side up) onto pre-heated baking sheet and return sheet to oven, roast for 10 minutes, then flip over and roast for another 10 minutes.

Carefully remove mushroom from baking sheet, drain off any moisture that has accumulated and return mushroom to pan, gill side up.  Top mushroom with sauce, cheese and toppings (except any fresh herbs, leave those off at this time).

Return the baking sheet with the mushroom pizza back to the oven and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbling.  You may also broil the pizza for 1-2 minutes at the end to brown the cheese.  Remove from oven and top with fresh herbs.

Eat with a knife and fork.