This white pizza is a creamy indulgence with a ricotta and garlic base, mozzarella and Monterey Jack in the middle, and topped with prosciutto and a balsamic glaze. Another 30 minute favorite that I will be making again!
I got the inspiration for this pizza after we had something similar at a restaurant on the lake. That one was topped with burrata and was more like a flatbread, but this is an easy rendition that is twice as gooey and delicious (in my humble opinion).
Make the pizza dough
Again, you can always use store bought pizza dough, but I find that this recipe is easy enough that anyone can do it. You do not need bread flour – all purpose flour works great! For the instant yeast, I have a sack of Instaferm (available at Walmart, Aamazon), which has worked time and time again for this dough recipe.
For the beer, you can use a few options. I used a Guinness this time, which made my pizza dough a darker brown color, which looks nice with the white pizza sauce. However, you can use just about anything, including Budweiser, Pabst Blue Ribbon, or anything cheaper you have on hand. Lighter beers will create lighter dough, so just note that your crust might not look like my photos (and don’t let it burn!) Pale crust is fine as long as it firms up and gets crispy. Also! Be sure to measure out the beer. The tall cans are typically around 16-18 ounces, and we only need 12 ounces for this. So drink the rest as a treat or save it for later.
Make the white pizza sauce
There isn’t one way to make white sauce, but I liked this mixture. Part-skim ricotta, garlic, olive oil and salt are all you need. If the ricotta is cold, it might take some extra work to spread it evenly across the pizza dough, but just use a spoon or even your fingers. It will work!
I used Monterey Jack and mozzarella on top of this, but you can also use white cheddar, burrata or brie if you wanted! I like to put the mozzarella slices on TOP of the arugula so that it all holds together in the oven nice and flat.
Make the balsamic glaze
This part is really easy. Just dump in some balsamic vinegar in a saucepan and add a touch of brown sugar to help it out. The sugar will also help it become that sticky and thick consistency that we want. After the vinegar reduces for around 6-10 minutes, it will be ready to go!
Then we just assemble the pizza! Top it with smoked prosciutto to add a salty bite, and drizzle that glaze all over it. I like an extra bit of seasoning and heat, so I topped my pizza with Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning and Red Pepper Flakes.
If you enjoyed this white pizza recipe, try my Pesto Pizza with Brussels, Arugula and Brie or my Harvest Beetroot and Butternut Squash Pizza.
White Pizza with Prosciutto and Arugula
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Rolling Pin
- knife
- cutting board
- small saucepan
- small bowl
Ingredients
For pizza crust
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 12 oz beer (like Guinness)
Pizza toppings
- ½ cup ricotta
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ⅔ cup Monterey Jack grated
- 1 large mozzarella ball sliced
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup smoked prosciutto sliced
Optional
- Everything But the Bagel Seasoning to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste
Balsamic glaze
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
Pizza dough directions
- In a bowl, mix together the flour, instant yeast and salt. Then add the beer and olive oil. Stir together with a large spoon or spatula until the ingredients are combined. The dough will probably be sticky still.
- Once complete, cover the bowl with foil or a towel and leave in a warm, dry place. Let the dough rise for at least 1-2 hours.
- When ready to make the pizza, preheat the oven to 450°. On a floured work surface, roll out the pizza dough with a floured rolling pin, spreading the dough wide enough to cover the entirety of a standard baking sheet (around 13×18). The crust will be a bit thin. Then transfer the dough to the baking sheet. It's okay if it tears, just reshape it with your fingers.
For the toppings
- Make the white sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Then spread the mixture evenly over the pizza, leaving a one-inch border around the perimeter.
- Sprinkle on the Monterey Jack evenly, followed by the arugula. Place the mozzarella slices on top, spacing out evenly again. Sprinkle on a pinch of red pepper flakes and Everything But The Bagel Seasoning if desired.
- Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes, until the edges of the pizza are firmed up and browned. It should not be squishy around the perimeter.
Balsamic glaze
- In a small saucepan, heat up the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low heat and allow to simmer until reduced by half, around 6-10 minutes. One it appears thick, remove from the heat.
Final assembly
- After the pizza has been removed from the oven, top it with the sliced prosciutto while it is still hot. Then drizzle on the balsamic glaze with a spoon. Let cool, slice and enjoy!
