A Simple Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Pizza

Love pizza? This isn’t your Average Slice! Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Mushroom, Tomato, Arugula and Balsamic Glaze. Make this Modern Day Pizza Creation in your Kitchen Tonight!

Want a gourmet pizza you won’t find on the takeout menu? This Goat Cheese & Prosciutto Pizza is your answer! It’s a modern twist or fancy pizza as Dave Portnoy of Barstool fame would describe it. It combines the classic Italian flavors of sweet tomato, stretchy mozzarella and salty prosciutto. Then, we add an American twist of caramelized onions for sweetness, juicy mushrooms for an earthy note, and creamy, tangy goat cheese for a delicious contrast. Top it off with a handful of peppery arugula for a touch of freshness and then finish with a luscious balsamic glaze to tie it all together.

Italian American cooking is a proud and historic cuisine producing classics such as chicken parmigiana, spaghetti and meatballs and the calzone. This gourmet pizza goes in a different and modern direction using a thrilling combination of Italian and American culinary prowess. The blending of Italian and American ingredients in this pizza will redefine your image of Italian-American fusion cooking.

Is Goat Cheese a Common Pizza Topping in Italy?

Food in Italy is all about simplicity and fresh high quality ingredients. Pizza in Italy is no different, most commonly made with a thin crust, topped with fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil and olive oil. Goat cheese, while available in Italy, is not commonly used with pizza. The reason is it possesses a strong tangy flavor that can easily overpower the simple ingredients traditionally found on an authentic Italian pizza. In addition to its dominant flavor profile, the cheese has a soft texture and does not stretch.

Mozzarella with its soft and subtle flavor combined with its stretchy texture presents a gentle flavor that will not overwhelm the simple ingredients of a traditional pizza. These characteristics make it the most popular cheese topping in Italy. You can find other cheese toppings, but those options must maintain a mild flavor. Bolder cheese toppings could be found in the more touristy locations of Italy.

Is Prosciutto Commonly Found on Pizza in Italy?

Italians love fresh high quality produce, cheese and cured meats. The country has a particular fondness for their prosciutto made in the northern part of Italy. Here is a quick summary describing how prosciutto is made and the differences between the prosciutto you will find. As you can tell, Italians take their prosciutto very seriously.

Their love of high quality cured meats and fresh produce explains why prosciutto is a popular topping for pizza in Italy. Its mild, yet salty flavor allows it to be paired with fresh mozzarella and tomato without overpowering those toppings.

Prosciutto can be paired with mushrooms, artichokes and tomato with basil for a Quattro stagioni, or four season pizza. The pizza is cut into four wedges, with each wedge featuring ingredients associated with a particular season. Classic toppings include:

• Artichokes for spring
• Tomatoes and basil for summer used as the base.
• Mushrooms for autumn
• Ham, prosciutto, or olives for winter

Americans love pepperoni pizza, however, you won’t find that in Italy. Prosciutto along with an assortment of other cured meats are much more likely to top a pizza in Italy. Prosciutto is Italy’s pepperoni when it comes to pizza.

What about the caramelized onions and arugula?

While we won’t say these toppings cannot be found on pizzas in Italy, they are, however, more commonly found on American pizza, or in touristy areas of Italy. This combination is where the fusion of Italian and American cuisine can be intertwined to create magnificence.

Arugula is a topping you will find in both countries but is more common in America. When combined with prosciutto and caramelized onions, arugula’s peppery and fresh flavor is an astounding way to finish off a unique and satisfying pizza.

What is the Taco Goat Cheese Pizza Game?

This is an inexpensive card game that many are obsessed with. Nothing to do with our recipe, or the dish except for a shared name.

Is a Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Pizza Healthy?

A thin crust is the perfect base for this recipe. The thin crust naturally has some carbs, however, it is lighter than our beloved grandma-style pizza with its thicker crust.

The delicious cheese combination we use does contain some fat, so it’s important to be realistic about the calorie count. Finally, prosciutto, though thinly sliced, is naturally salty.

We know that pizza often gets a bad rap for being greasy and unhealthy. But here’s the secret: homemade pizza can be a delicious indulgence without too much guilt!

Many pizzerias drown their pizzas in olive oil. While some folks love that extra drizzle, we find it unnecessary when using high-quality ingredients like you will find in this recipe. Great toppings shine on their own, without needing a flavor boost from olive oil.

This simple trick significantly reduces the calorie count of your homemade pizza. It’s not going to win any “health food” awards, but is definitely a step away from the unhealthy side of the spectrum. That’s the beauty of homemade pizza, you control the ingredients and oil. It becomes a guilt-free indulgence, and a comforting treat you can truly savor.

How simple is it to make this Easy Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Pizza recipe?

We are always amazed at how few of our friends make and enjoy the pleasures of homemade pizza. It is truly one of the easiest meals to prepare, even on a busy weeknight. The obstacles that stop most from trying this at home: the pizza dough and not owning a pizza oven, but these can easily be overcome. This recipe uses a conventional kitchen oven eliminating that concern and our simple 90 minute pizza dough.

For the dough, we do not recommend frozen dough from a supermarket or the dough found in a roll next to the instant croissants. So, skip the store-bought dough! Making your own pizza dough is easier than you think. We recommend our quick 90-minute recipe. Simply throw the ingredients (bread flour, water, salt, olive oil, sugar, and yeast) into your bread machine using the dough setting before work. When you get home, your dough will be ready to use! It’s that simple.

Here are two other options for prepping your dough:

• Weekend prep: Make the dough on the weekend and store it in a covered glass bowl in the refrigerator. On pizza day, take out the dough in the morning and let it rise at room temperature while you’re busy. Just make sure the bowl is big enough for the dough to expand comfortably. Pro note, letting the dough sit a day or two will give it additional texture and flavor.

• Make-ahead Dough: Whip up our quick 90-minute pizza dough using the link below before you head out for the day. Simply toss the ingredients (bread flour, water, salt, olive oil, sugar, and yeast) into your bread machine on the dough setting before you head out the door. When you return home, your dough will be ready for pizza perfection!

• Support local: For those short on time, consider buying fresh dough from your favorite bakery or pizzeria.

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  90 Minute Pizza Dough

  Difficulty: Easy

  Homemade pizza dough in 90 minutes!

  4 votes 5.0 Cuisine: Italian

How to make Homemade Pizza Sauce

While your dough works it’s magic, it’s the perfect time to whip up some delicious toppings. Let’s tackle the essential ingredient; the pizza sauce!

We know some folks love jarred sauce, but trust us, homemade is SO easy and way more flavorful. High quality ingredients and a decent pot and pan set are essential. We use a greenpan and a few older Farberware pots that have served us well for a long time. Here’s how to make homemade tomato sauce for your pizza in no time:

1. Sauté the base: Sauté some onion and garlic in a pan drizzled with olive oil until they are softened and fragrant. This adds a depth of flavor you won’t get from jarred sauce.
2. Bring it together: Add your favorite tomato sauce (crushed or pureed work great!), a sprinkle of salt and pepper, some fresh basil, and a touch of oregano. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, and voila – homemade magic!
3. Make ahead, enjoy later: The beauty of this sauce? You can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge. It’s even freezer-friendly, so feel free to double the batch and enjoy homemade pizza another night!

One of the secrets to this fancy pizza is the caramelized onions. They add a touch of sweetness and unique depth to the pizzas flavor, but be warned, caramelizing takes a bit of time. The good news? You can totally prep them ahead!

How to prepare caramelized onions

1. Heat it Up: Grab a non-stick skillet and heat some olive oil over medium heat. You should hear a gentle sizzle when you add the sliced onions.
2. Low and Slow is the Way to Go: Resist the urge to crank up the heat! Caramelizing is all about slow and steady. If the heat’s too high, the onions will burn instead of turning golden brown and sweet.
3. Patience is a Virtue: Keep those onions cooking! You’ll know they’re ready when they’re fragrant and have a nice light brown color. That’s your cue to add the sliced mushrooms.
4. Taking a Break: After a few minutes of cooking together, feel free to remove the onions and mushrooms from the heat. Now it’s time to prepare your pizza.

Assembling the Pizza

To assemble the pizza, start by preheating the oven to 450 to 500F. Using a bit of extra flour (we prefer semolina) begin to stretch the dough. If you are using our 90 minute pizza dough recipe you must first cut the dough in half as it makes a double loaf.

Gently stretch the dough from the inside out into a round shape while maintaining a crust around the edges. As you press outward using your finger-tips, repeatedly turn the dough 45 degrees. If the dough is fighting against your attempts to stretch, rest it for 15 minutes and try again. When the dough is ready, pick it up and place it on a round pizza pan that is prepared with crisco.

The Lloyd pan is an expert choice, or you can click here to shop pizza pans. We have used the Cuisinart and Lloyd pans with great success. Pull the outer edges of the dough so it closely fits in the pan and is round, or close to round.

Now all the prep work is completed. it’s time for the fun part – assembling your beautiful pizza! It’s easy. Here is how:

1. Cheese Heaven: Now comes the melty goodness! Distribute shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese all over the pizza.
2. Sweet and Savory Friends: Next up, sprinkle the caramelized onions and mushrooms evenly throughout. These will add a burst of sweetness and savory depth.
3. The Prosciutto and Goat Cheese: Tear the prosciutto into bite-sized pieces and scatter them across the pizza, followed by crumbles of creamy goat cheese.
4. Add the tomato sauce: Grab a ladle of your delicious homemade sauce (or your favorite jarred kind, no judgment. Well a little!). Place dollops of sauce throughout the pizza dough. Remember, a light touch is key – too much sauce can lead to a soggy and floppy crust.
5. Some Italian herbs: Sprinkle some oregano and pecorino Romano cheese for an extra layer of flavor.
6. Bake It!: Pop your pizza creation into the preheated oven and set the timer for 10 minutes. Ovens can vary, so keep an eye on it! After 10 minutes, peek through the window to see how it’s doing. If needed, rotate the pizza for even cooking.

Pro Tip: Mastering your oven takes time! Learn its quirks and adjust the cooking time or temperature as needed for perfectly golden-brown crust and melted cheese.

Once you’ve rotated the pizza, set the timer for another 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it! Ovens vary, so the key is that golden brown, crispy perfection on the bottom crust.

Now you’re in the final stretch:

1. Crispy Bottom Check: When the undercarriage is nice and golden brown with a satisfying crunch, it’s time to switch things up. Turn off the oven and crank up the broiler to get that beautifully browned top.
2. Broiler Watch: This is where things get exciting (and potentially dangerous for your pizza!). The broiler works fast, so stay close by throughout this step. Just a few seconds too long and your pizza masterpiece could turn into charcoal.
3. Pizza Paradise: Once the top is browned and bubbly, take out your pizza and slide it onto a large wooden cutting board.

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