Prosciutto and Castelvetrano Olive Pizza
Prosciutto and Castelvetrano Olive Pizza
Pizza Fridays are still very much a thing in our household (let’s be real, they’ll never not be a thing!) but I realized I somehow haven’t shared a new pizza recipe here in a hot second, despite the fact that we eat pizza once a week, every week. I know.
I also realized I’ve been unintentionally gatekeeping one of my all-time favorite pizza combos…since last year! I know, I really know. I’m sorry. But I promise this Prosciutto and Castelvetrano Olive Pizza was worth the wait. I mean, truly, what could be better than creamy burrata, salty prosciutto and buttery bight olives?! Nothing I tell you, absolutely nothing. Besides maybe eating said pizza somewhere in the Tuscan countryside with a beautiful bottle of wine and some citrus-y gelato goodness for dessert. Sì? Sì! And yes, I am getting carried away in my Italian daydreams, like any good pizza (and wine) will do to you. Trust me, make this pizza and you’ll be getting carried away, too! Ha!
INGREDIENTS + SUBSTITIONS
Nothing fancy to see here. Just a few simple, but high quality (emphasis on the quality), ingredients aka the way pizza should be.
PIZZA DOUGH- You know I’m biased when it comes to pizza dough so I am, of course, using my quick and easy pizza dough for this recipe. However, feel free to use your favorite pre-made dough or dough recipe (as long as it’s mine…KIDDING! only kind of sort of maybe)
PROSCIUTTO- Prosciutto is just perfection on pizza! Nice and light but still adds depth to the over all pizza flavor and the saltiness balances out the creamy richness of the burrata and pairs so nicely with the bright, crisp, buttery olives. You could swap this for another cured Italian meat or thinly shaved ham, if need be.
CASTELVETRANO OLIVES- I love olives on pizza, but I like really, really LOVE castelvetrano olives on pizza. Because they’re a bit meatier and crisper, they really hold their own and stand out versus blending in like another olive might. Plus, they add such a nice brightness to an otherwise rich pizza, which is especially nice in the summertime. You can typically find them in an olive bar or down the aisle with olives and pickles in any grocery store.
BURRATA- Since there aren’t many ingredients involved in this pizza, we really need each one to pack a punch. Hence, my choice of burrata versus something like mozzarella. I mean, burrata needs no explanation. It’s the superior cheese. Ha! And it’s perfect for this pizza! The sweet creaminess is just so nice with the crisp, bright olives and salty prosciutto. Plus, the creaminess of the cheese doubles as part of the sauce. If you can’t find burrata, you can also use a mix of ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese to get a similar burrata-style situation.
OLIVE OIL- Olive oil, along with the aforementioned creaminess from the burrata, is playing the roll of sauce for our pizza, so be sure to use something high quality and extra-flavorful.
GARLIC POWDER- I love using garlic powder to add in extra flavor. I feel like the powder, versus fresh, is great for more even flavor across the whole pizza. However, you could definitely use fresh if that’s more your speed. A crunchy garlic oil or paste would also be a great option here.
FRESH THYME- The pizza gets topped off with some fresh thyme, because no summer pie is complete without some sort of fresh herb to balance everything out. I find thyme works beautifully here, but rosemary, fresh oregano or even basil are all great options.
HOW TO MAKE IT + TIPS
Just like the ingredients list, the directions are super simple.
Roll out the dough
Give it a generous drizzle+ (maybe almost more of a pour than a drizzle haha) of olive oil. I then like to use my hands to brush it around and get the dough nice and coated.
Add your toppings.
Bake it up.
Enjoy! (Preferably with a glass of wine!)
HOW TO SERVE IT
This pizza is best enjoyed hot of the presses (er, I mean, grill or oven). Serve it with an extra little drizzle of olive oil, a healthy sprinkle of fresh herbs and extra garlic powder on the side. Pairs perfectly with a warm summer evening, a crisp cool glass of sauvignon blanc (but really any wine will do), a light side salad (something with arugula is always a good idea) and good company.
Prosciutto + Castelvetrano Olive Pizza
Serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS
1 recipe of this pizza dough (or pre-made dough of your choice)
Olive oil
8 ounces burrata Cheese
4-5 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
A generous handful of Castelvetrano olives (about 1/3-1/2 a cup)
Garlic powder
Fresh thyme
Flaky salt, fresh ground pepper and pepper flakes (optional), for serving
DIRECTIONS
Roll/press dough out into the shape of your choice and place on a pizza peel, baking sheet or whatever type of pan you prefer to use.
Drizzle very generously with olive oil. Then use your hands or a pastry brush to spread the oil evenly across the dough, making sure it is well coated.
Layer on the burrata cheese, then the prosciutto and the olives. I like to use my hands to break up the burrata across the dough. I also will roughly rip up some of the prosciutto into ribbon-like pieces and also use my hands to break some of the olives in half. You can, of course, use a knife, or skip cutting the meat and olives altogether, but I personally love the natural, organic way it looks and the variety of textures achieved by breaking up some of the meat and olives.
Generously sprinkle the top with garlic powder (i’d recommend at least 1/2-1 teaspoon, but the amount is totally depending on your taste preferences) as well as a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Cook the pizza in your preferred method, according to the instructions here.
Drizzle with more olive oil and top with a generous sprinkle of fresh thyme. Slice and serve with extra salt and pepper on the side, as well as pepper flakes (in case you want to add a little spice to your slice!)>
NOTES
If you can’t find burrata or would prefer a different choose, you can use a mix of ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese to get a similar burrata-style situation. I would use 6 ounces mozzarella and 4 ounces of ricotta cheese. Sprinkle the mozzarella then add the dollops of ricotta on top.
You can swap the prosciutto for another cured Italian meat or thinly shaved ham if you prefer.
Feel free to use fresh garlic in place of the garlic powder. Personally, if I was going that route, I would use 4 cloves, minced and then sauté them in a little olive first. The drizzle the garlic-infused oil right onto the crust instead of using regular olive oil as the base. A crunchy garlic oil or paste would also be a great option here.
