Capricciosa Pizza combines ham, sautéed mushrooms, mozzarella, and marinated artichokes over a tomato-topped crust. The mushrooms bring earthy flavor, the ham adds a savory bite, and the artichokes provide a tangy contrast to the cheese. It’s a satisfying choice when you want a homemade pizza with several complementary toppings.
This version uses prosciutto cotto, a cooked Italian ham, or thinly sliced boiled ham. Choose cooked ham rather than dry-cured prosciutto for the intended flavor and texture. Low-moisture mozzarella supplies the cheesy topping without introducing as much moisture as fresh mozzarella.
Start with prepared dough or make your own thin crust pizza dough. If you’re making dough from scratch, plan for its mixing and rising time before assembling the pizza. For a different base, try flax pizza crust, following that recipe’s separate prebaking instructions.
A little preparation helps keep the toppings from making the crust soggy. Drain the marinated artichokes thoroughly, slice them into thin wedges, and use mushrooms that have already been sautéed. Have everything ready before stretching the dough so you can assemble the pizza without leaving the topped base sitting too long.
Spread the puréed tomatoes or homemade pizza sauce in an even layer, then distribute the cheese, ham, mushrooms, and artichokes across the surface. Avoid piling the toppings in the center, where excess moisture can collect.
A pizza stone provides a hot baking surface. Place it in the oven before preheating and follow the manufacturer’s heating instructions. Check the underside of the crust as well as the cheese when judging doneness.
Let the pizza settle briefly before slicing, then serve with a crisp green salad. This recipe is adapted from Dario De Conti’s Capricciosa Pizza published by Sunset.
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Capricciosa Pizza
- Total Time: 1:12
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ball Pizza Dough
- 1/4 cup canned coarsely puréed tomatoes or Pizza Sauce
- 1/2 cup lightly packed coarsely shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- 2 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto cotto (Italian-style uncured ham) or freshly sliced uncured boiled ham, torn into large shreds
- 1/2 cup Sauteed Mushrooms
- 3 ounces drained marinated artichokes, sliced into thin wedges
Instructions
- Make dough as instructed in recipe for Pizza Dough.
- Top pizza with tomato sauce, spreading outward in a widening circle with the back of a soupspoon. Then sprinkle on mozzarella, prosciutto, sautéed mushrooms, and artichokes.
- Place a pizza stone on a lower oven rack. Preheat the oven between 450–500°F (approximately 230–260°C) the stone needs heat up while the oven heats. Large, thick-crusted pizzas might need an oven temperature closer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) so the crust can cook completely before the toppings burn.
- After 5 minutes of baking, check the pizza. If some spots are browning faster than others, turn the pizza; slip the peel underneath it like a giant spatula. Rotate the pizza on the peel and return it to the baking stone using the same swift motion described above.
- If you like, remove the pizza from the oven halfway during baking to brush oil on the crust. This added oil will help darken the crust and make it even tastier. For a little garlic flavor, infuse the oil with minced garlic.
- The pizza is done when the cheese is melted to a medium-to-dark brown — color means flavor. Carefully remove the pizza with the peel and let it cool slightly. If you want, top it with additional fresh toppings. Slice with a pizza wheel or chef’s knife, and serve.
- Prep Time: 1:00
- Cook Time: :12
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian