Prosciutto, Mascarpone, & Caramelised Onion Pizza

Makes 2 large pizzas

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Did somebody say P I Z Z A?! Yes, it was me. As some of you may know, I had a few exams the other day and I knew that I wanted to treat myself, and one of my favourite treats (after KFC) is pizza. I nearly just went to the local for some but, since I had all this free time on my hands, I thought it would be more satisfying to make it from scratch. I used the leftover mascarpone for Tiramisu and now my healthy diet feels like a distant memory, but it's totally been worth it.

PRO TIPS

• If your dough is too sticky to knead then add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the consistency is right.

• If you want to store some of your dough, cover it with plastic wrap immediately after it has risen for the second time and place in an air-tight container. Then put it in the fridge. It can last up to two weeks.

• The pizza base and tomato paste base work as a perfect bouncing off point, so if you want to go veggie, or use a different meat or cheese then go for it!

Recipe

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

• 1 cup of warm water

• 1 teaspoon of sugar

• 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast

• 2 and a half cups of high grade (bread) flour (plus more for kneading)

• 1 tablespoon of mild olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Caramelised Onions

• 1 large red onion

• 1 tablespoon of mild olive oil

• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

Toppings

• 1/2 cup of tomato paste

• 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• 12 large strips of prosciutto

• 1 and half cups of grated parmesan

• 200 grams of fresh mozarella

• 1/2 cup of fresh mascarpone

• 1/4 cup of fresh basil

• 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

• 2 cups of arugula

Method

Pizza Dough

1. Place your warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and place the bowl in a warm spot. Leave for 10 minutes.

2. Mix in the flour, olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Knead the dough with a dough hook or by hand on a floured surface for 5-7 minutes.

3. Place the ball of dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Place the bowl in a warm spot for 30-40 minutes.

4. The dough should have doubled in size at this point. Take it out of the bowl, roll it into a log on a floured surface and cut it into two evenly sized balls.

5. Place the balls on your bench and cover them with a tea towel. Leave for 15 minutes to rise one more time.

Caramelised Onions

1. Prepare your caramelised onions whilst your dough is rising.

2. Thinly slice your red onion. Place your olive oil n a pot or small frying pan on a very low heat. Once hot, add in your onions and stir to coat.

3. Place a lid over the onions and stir occasionally for 15 minutes, until soft.

4. Add in your sugar and balsamic vinegar and stir through. Let them cook for a further 5 minutes. Take them off the heat and place them in a bowl ready for topping.

Toppings

1. Preheat your oven to 240℃.

2. Roll the dough balls out onto a floured surface and then place them on a pizza stone/baking tray/pizza screen.

3. Mix together your tomato paste, 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Spread half of it on one pizza (and the other half on the other).

4. Lay your prosciutto down evenly across both pizzas.

5. Cut your mozzarella up into 2cmx2cm chunks and evenly spread across both pizzas.

6. Sprinkle half your parmesan on one pizza and the other half on the other pizza.

7. Place in the oven for 12-14 minutes.

8. When you take the pizza out of the oven, spoon teaspoon-sized chunks of mascarpone on top of the pizzas. Then spoon your onions over the top. Leave for 5 minutes.

9. Mix the lemon juice, arugula, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a bowl. Sprinkle it over the top of your pizzas just before serving, alongside your fresh basil.

10. ENJOY!!!

Stay Salty,

Romy xx