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Prep Time 18 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Min. Resting time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Dinner
Servings 2

Equipment

  • stand mixer with dough hook attachment

Ingredients
  

Fluffy pizza dough for 2 12-inch (30cm) pizzas

  • 1 1/2 cup water room temperature
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 1/2 cup Italian 00 flour (570g)
  • 1 package instant yeast (.25-ounce or 7g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt

Pizza Toppings

  • 4 tbsp passata
  • 1/4 cup grated mozzarella (50g)
  • 1/4 tsp Italian herbs
  • 1.2 ounce thinly sliced prosciutto (35g)
  • 2 tbsp ricotta
  • 1 tbsp pesto
  • black pepper
  • chili flakes
  • handful arugula
  • honey
This pizza with pesto, creamy ricotta, and savory prosciutto on fluffy homemade pizza dough is the perfect meal for a cozy date night. This recipe yields two pizzas, but you could also go ahead and share just one during movie night. Just make sure to start with the dough on time, or make the pizza dough beforehand, since it needs 1.5 - 3.5 hours of total resting time.

Instructions
 

How to Make a Pesto, Ricotta & Prosciutto Pizza with Homemade Pizza Dough

  • Start by making the dough. Use a stand mixer - preferably with dough hook attachment - and add the flour, instant yeast, and salt to the mixing bowl. Set the mixer to low speed (speed 1 to 2), and slowly, but steadily add in the oil and water. Mix everything for 3 - 5 minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the dough forms a nice smooth ball, and doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl anymore. If it's still too sticky, you can always add a little additional flour.
  • Lightly grease a bowl with oil, then transfer the dough to the bowl. Drizzle a little additional oil on top of the dough, then cover it with plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm place for 1 - 2.5 hours to let the dough rise. For this part, you want the dough to double in size.
  • After the first rise, we'll be forming the dough. Remove the dough from the bowl onto a clean and lightly floured surface. Press the dough down lightly to slightly deflate it if needed, then divide the dough into two even pieces. Roll both pieces into a nice, smooth ball, then cover them with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for an additional 30 - 60 minutes until puffy.
  • Preheat your oven to around 460°F (or 240°C) prior to baking. We're only going to bake the pizza for a little while, so you want the oven to be really hot for the pizza to become nice and crispy. Preheat the oven along with either a pizza stone, if you have one, or a (not too deep) baking tray, which works just as well.
  • Place two sheets of baking paper on a flat surface. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and roll out each ball with a rolling pin onto its own sheet of baking paper. Stretch and form the dough further using either your hands or the rolling pin. Try and leave a little more dough on the outer rim of your pizza to make a crust, but also a nice lower part in the middle for your sauce and toppings to easily stay in place.
  • Once you've formed your pizzas, you can add the toppings. Start by spreading the passata, then add the Italian herbs and black pepper. Distribute dollops of ricotta over the pizza, along with pieces of half of the prosciutto. Then sprinkle the grated mozzarella on top. We'll add the remaining ingredients after baking. Transfer the first pizza to a large enough cutting board to easily - and somewhat safely - slide it into the oven. Then bake each pizza for 7 - 12 minutes, see whether it's done by slightly lifting the sides, you want the bottom to be solid and crispy.
  • After baking the pizza, add the remaining prosciutto, dollops of pesto, chili flakes if preferred, some arugula, and a drizzle of honey. Cut the pizza into slices, serve, and enjoy!