FIELD OF BLOSSOMS PIZZA

Serves 6 to 8 people

Ingredients:

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For the dough:

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3  1/2 cups flour

1  cup warm water

1 packet dry yeast, 0.25 ounce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

 

For brushing on top:

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3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

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For the white sauce:

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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, sliced thin

4 ounces of white wine

1 lb (2 cups) whole milk ricotta

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

fresh ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

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For topping:

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1 cup  shredded cheese (4 cheese Italian blend)

12 red cherry tomatoes, halved

12 yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped garlic (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)

1/2 teaspoon salt

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Finishing touches:

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1/4 lb prosciutto, sliced thin and shaped into rosettes

Basil leaves for decoration

Fresh ground pepper

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Directions:

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Start by making your pizza dough....

 

Sprinkle yeast over one cup of warm water. Add one teaspoon of sugar and stir.

 

Meanwhile, measure 1/2 of the flour and place in a large bowl. When the surface of the water/yeast mixture looks foamy, add it to the flour. Mix well with your hands. Add the remaining flour, incorporating it gradually until fully absorbed. If your dough is too wet, add a little more flour. If it is too dry, add a bit more warm water. 

 

Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand at least 15 minutes, making sure to frequently fold dough over (as if you were folding laundry). This is a trick my Neapolitan grandmother taught me. It is important for achieving an airy crust so famous in Naples, Italy, the birthplace of pizza. 

 

When the dough looks smooth and elastic, shape it into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic film first and a clean kitchen towel over that. Place in a warm and draft-free area to allow dough to rise. It should double in size in about 2 hours.

 

For the topping...

 

Mix the halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the garlic and salt. Set aside.

 

For the sauce...

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In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add sliced onions and stir over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Add the white wine. Stir the onions often until the wine has evaporated and onions are soft and translucent.

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Reduce heat to low and add the ricotta cheese, the grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently until ricotta mixture becomes very creamy. Add the chopped parsley. Remove from heat and set aside.

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Heat oven to 450F.

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Grease a 16" inch pizza pan with butter or shortening. Stretch the dough into an even circle, making sure to form a "lip" around the edge of the pizza.

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Brush 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the surface of the dough and bake in hot (450F) oven for 3 minutes, until a thin top crust forms. This step is important for avoiding the result of a soggy crust when using ricotta sauce on a pizza.

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Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 400F. Spread ricotta sauce evenly over the surface of the pizza. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the ricotta sauce and gently press it into the ricotta layer (to avoid premature burning of the cheese while baking). 

Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes on top of the pizza, making an even and attractive design. Drizzle the olive oil/tomato juice liquid from the bottom of the bowl evenly over the pizza (by sitting, the tomatoes let out delicious juice that, mixed with the olive oil, make a great finishing touch to the pizza).

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Place back in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden.

While the pizza is baking, shape the prosciutto slices into rosettes by twirling them around your fingers.

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Before serving, place the prosciutto rosettes on top of the pizza, decorate with fresh basil leaves and sprinkle top with fresh ground pepper.

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Slice and serve hot.

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Enjoy!