5-Step Pizza: Prosciutto & Arugula Flatbread with Balsamic Reduction
I haven't blogged in awhile. Sorry, friends. Let me make it up to you with this crazy delicious flatbread recipe. Or maybe it's a pizza recipe. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what the difference is between flatbread and pizza. I Googled it and came up with surprisingly few results; a discussion on Serious Eats came up but it seems there's no definitive answer.
What's my definition? When I think of pizza, I think of a gooey, saucy doughy slice. When I think of flatbread, I think of something more thin-crust, little to no sauce and with uncooked ingredients on top. So let's go with that definition. What do you think is the difference between flatbread and pizza?
Anyway, this recipe is salty and fresh, filling and light. Balsamic reduction makes for a rich, tart mouthfeel, garlic adds a hint of spice, and the salty bite of the prosciutto and Parmesan is balanced with the freshness of the arugula. Buy an extra ounce of Prosciutto at the grocery and munch on it as you're waiting for your flatbread to finish in the oven!
For this recipe, my favorite kind of prosciutto is Creminelli's Prosciutto Crudo from Whole Foods but you can use any kind of prosciutto that's freshly sliced from your local deli/grocery.
Ingredients: 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 16 ounces pizza dough (I like Trader Joe's Plain Pizza Dough) All-purpose flour (for rolling dough) 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1-1/2 cups arugula 4 ounces prosciutto (fresh from the deli!)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce by half, about 5-7 minutes. The consistency should be thick but pourable, like a creamy salad dressing.
3. Meanwhile, working on a clean surface (like a marble countertop), dust some all-purpose flour where you plan to roll your pizza dough. Roll the dough out as thinly as you can, hopefully a bit thinner than 1/4". Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Spread the olive oil over the surface of the pizza dough. Pour over the reduced balsamic vinegar. Add minced garlic and Parmesan cheese. Bake until the garlic looks light golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.
5. Top with a single layer of arugula. Drape prosciutto slices on top. Serve immediately.