Pizza with Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Asparagus and Lemon

This pizza is the best I have ever made or eaten so far in my culinary adventures. I was inspired by a pizza my husband Tom and I use to eat in NYC at a little place called Waldy's on 26th street and 6th ave. Although I do not have the wood burning oven, this pizza still comes out amazing in my oven at home. I am really proud of the recipe and I hope you will enjoy this one. 

This pizza has a crispy thin crust, which is the perfect canvas for the rich and salty Italian Prosciutto. It is topped with mozzarella cheese, fresh asparagus spears  and slices of roasted lemons. I season it with cracked black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. The combination of all the fresh ingredients makes for a perfect thin crust pizza. 

Pizza with Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Asparagus and Lemon 
Serves 8 

For the Crust:  
1 package of active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup of warm water
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
 3 cups flour, plus more for dusting 

1. Prepare the pizza dough: In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine yeast, sugar and warm water, stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand 5- 10 mins until it starts to foam. 

2. Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tbsps of olive oil. Add in the flour a little at a time, mixing on lowest speed, until flour is incorporated. Keep mixing on medium speed, if it feels really sticky add a little more flour, if it is dry and crumbly add a little more water.Keep mixing for 5 minutes until the dough comes to a ball and become elastic. 

3. Coat the dough with a little oil and place it back in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour. 

4. Once the dough has doubled in size, divide dough into 2 balls. Cover and let rest for 10 mins to make it easy to roll out. (If the dough is not rolling easily, let it rest a little while longer.)

5. At this point you can use the dough immediately, wrap the balls of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use, or you can freeze the dough for later use.

6. When you are ready to use the dough, preheat the oven to 500 degrees with baking sheet in the oven.

7. Roll each section out into a 16-20" circle or oval shape. Place the dough on parchment paper.

8.Place the toppings on the dough (all the way to the edge) and brush crust with a little olive oil

9. Once the baking sheets are preheated place the parchment paper on the sheet (one pizza per baking sheet) and bake for 10-15 mins. Check at 10 mins and make sure it is not burning on the bottom.  You can serve one pizza while the others are baking in the oven, or bake all the pizzas and reheat before serving.

For the toppings: (These are for two 16" size pizzas)
Olive oil  8 oz good quality Proscuitto-thinly sliced
1 head of asparagus: cut into 2 inch pieces,  blanched until barely cooked 
lemons: peeled and sliced into 12 slices
16 oz of whole milk mozzarella cheese- shredded or sliced thin
1 oz Pecorino Romano Cheese: shaved with a vegetable peeler
Fresh cracked pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes 

1. Once the dough has been rolled out thin brush edges with a little olive oil. Lay the slices of Prosciutto onto the dough. Add mozzarella cheese, slices of lemon (6 per pizza), scatter asparagus, and top with shaved Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. 

2. Continue with recipe above and bake are directed: about 10 minutes at 500 degrees F. 

This pizza is the best I have ever made or eaten so far in my culinary adventures. I was inspired by a pizza my husband Tom and I use to eat in NYC at a little place called Waldy's on 26th street and 6th ave. Although I do not have the wood burning oven, this pizza still comes out amazing in my oven at home. I am really proud of the recipe and I hope you will enjoy this one. 

This pizza has a crispy thin crust, which is the perfect canvas for the rich and salty Italian Prosciutto. It is topped with mozzarella cheese, fresh asparagus spears  and slices of roasted lemons. I season it with cracked black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. The combination of all the fresh ingredients makes for a perfect thin crust pizza. 

Pizza with Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Asparagus and Lemon 
Serves 8 

For the Crust:  
1 package of active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup of warm water
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
 3 cups flour, plus more for dusting 

1. Prepare the pizza dough: In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine yeast, sugar and warm water, stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand 5- 10 mins until it starts to foam. 

2. Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tbsps of olive oil. Add in the flour a little at a time, mixing on lowest speed, until flour is incorporated. Keep mixing on medium speed, if it feels really sticky add a little more flour, if it is dry and crumbly add a little more water.Keep mixing for 5 minutes until the dough comes to a ball and become elastic. 

3. Coat the dough with a little oil and place it back in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour. 

4. Once the dough has doubled in size, divide dough into 2 balls. Cover and let rest for 10 mins to make it easy to roll out. (If the dough is not rolling easily, let it rest a little while longer.)

5. At this point you can use the dough immediately, wrap the balls of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use, or you can freeze the dough for later use.

6. When you are ready to use the dough, preheat the oven to 500 degrees with baking sheet in the oven.

7. Roll each section out into a 16-20" circle or oval shape. Place the dough on parchment paper.

8.Place the toppings on the dough (all the way to the edge) and brush crust with a little olive oil

9. Once the baking sheets are preheated place the parchment paper on the sheet (one pizza per baking sheet) and bake for 10-15 mins. Check at 10 mins and make sure it is not burning on the bottom.  You can serve one pizza while the others are baking in the oven, or bake all the pizzas and reheat before serving.

For the toppings: (These are for two 16" size pizzas)
Olive oil  8 oz good quality Proscuitto-thinly sliced
1 head of asparagus: cut into 2 inch pieces,  blanched until barely cooked 
lemons: peeled and sliced into 12 slices
16 oz of whole milk mozzarella cheese- shredded or sliced thin
1 oz Pecorino Romano Cheese: shaved with a vegetable peeler
Fresh cracked pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes 

1. Once the dough has been rolled out thin brush edges with a little olive oil. Lay the slices of Prosciutto onto the dough. Add mozzarella cheese, slices of lemon (6 per pizza), scatter asparagus, and top with shaved Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. 

2. Continue with recipe above and bake are directed: about 10 minutes at 500 degrees F.