Parma Ham and Cheese Pizza

Yield: one 12" pizza.

as needed, olive oil
1 1⁄4 cups flour
1 3⁄4 tsp. salt
1 1⁄4 tsp. quick-rise yeast
1⁄3 cup prepared pesto (recipe follows)
6 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced 1⁄4” thick
2 oz. thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma, cut into strips
3⁄4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano in thin shavings* or coarsely grated

Pesto:
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
5 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1⁄2 tsp. chopped garlic

Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Preheat oven to 500°F. Lightly coat a 12" pizza pan with olive oil.

For dough: in food processor container, combine 1 cup flour, salt and yeast, 1 Tbsp. olive oil and ³⁄4 cup very warm water (120°F to 130°F). Pulse three times to blend. Add remaining 1¹⁄4 cups flour; process until mixture forms a ball. Process until fully kneaded, about 45 seconds longer. Place dough in a bowl coated with olive oil; turn to grease top; cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

For pesto: combine pesto ingredients in a blender container and blend until smooth.

For pizza: on pizza pan, pat and gently stretch dough into a 12" round. Spread 2 Tbsp. pesto over dough, leaving a ¹⁄2" border. Arrange tomato slices on top. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 18 minutes. Top with Prosciutto Di Parma strips and Parmigiano reggiano shavings. Drizzle with remaining pesto. If desired, sprinkle pizza with black pepper.

* To make Parmigiano Reggiano shavings, pull a vegetable peeler across the surface of a wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano.

PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA