Easy Prosciutto Pizza

Ingredients

For the pizza crust:

You can use any store-bought pizza dough and follow the baking instructions, or make your own crust in under 30 minutes using this easy recipe:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 packet RapidRise Yeast  (¼ oz.,  use Instant Yeast, not Active Dry Yeast)
• ⅔ cup warm water between 120-130˚F, measured with a thermometer (see recipe tips below)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing pan

For the pizza toppings:

• ¼ - ½ cup pizza sauce (such as marinara), to taste
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced (try to get fresh mozzarella instead of packaged low-moisture mozzarella)
• 3-5 oz prosciutto (use as much as you like!), torn or chopped into smaller pieces
• ½ - 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• ½ - 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning (make sure your Italian seasoning doesn't have salt added!)

Optional add-ons for serving:

• Balsamic glaze
• Fresh basil
• Red pepper flakes
• Fresh baby arugula

Equipment needed

• Pizza pan, large baking sheet (12x17-inch) or two medium-large baking sheets (13x9-inch)
• Parchment paper (for easy cleanup)
• Oil sprayer or brush for olive oil
• Rolling pin
• Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
• Pizza cutter (optional, but easy to use!)

Pizza dough tips:

→ If using store-bought pizza dough, make sure to read these tips for making great pizza with store-bought dough.

→ If making your own yeast dough, make sure to MEASURE THE WARM WATER TEMPERATURE with a thermometer. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and the dough will not rise. If the water  is too cold, it will not activate the yeast. Make sure to use Rapid Rise Yeast, not just active dry yeast.

Instructions

Cooking tip: The pizza dough needs 10 minutes to rest, so you can gather all the pizza topping ingredients while it rests to save you time!! 

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425F (or follow the instructions on the store-bought pizza dough, if using that) If using a pizza pan, follow the manufacturer's instructions for how to prepare it (i.e. cornmeal, oil). If using a baking sheet, line a large baking sheet (12x17-inch) or 2 medium-large baking sheets (13x9-inch) with parchment paper and spray or brush with oil.

Step 2: If using store-bough pizza dough, follow the instructions for how to roll and bake it. If making pizza dough, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl, and mix together. Add the warm water and olive oil. Stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms, then use your hands to roll it into a ball.

Step 3: Knead the dough for 4 minutes. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes in a warm spot. Gather all the pizza toppings while the dough is resting.

Step 4: Place the dough in the middle of the prepared baking sheet and roll it out. Then use your hands to stretch it out as needed to fill up most of the baking sheet and make a thinner dough. If you want to make 2 smaller pizzas, divide the dough in half first, then roll it out and place onto the baking pans. Use your hands to stretch it out as needed.

Step 5: Top the pizza crust with pizza sauce, slices of fresh mozzarella, pieces of prosciutto, and shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano. Sprinkle with dried oregano.

Step 6: Bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust puffs up a little and turns golden brown around the edges and the cheese is melted. Remove from heat, sprinkle with your favorite pizza add-ons, and enjoy!