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Meat, Italy

Pizza capricciosa with salad

Pizza capricciosa is an Italian pizza topped with ham, mushrooms, artichokes, olives, and mozzarella. This recipe serves 4, takes 40 minutes, is rated easy, and costs about €3.00 per person. The trick is a very hot oven and mushrooms that are dry fried first so the base stays crisp.

Pizza capricciosa, the pizzaiolo's whim, with ham, artichokes, mushrooms, and olives.

Pizza capricciosa with salad
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
690 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Capricciosa takes its name from the pizzaiolo's whim, adding a bit of everything on hand. Here, ham, mushrooms browned in a skillet, soft artichoke hearts, and black olives sit on a tomato and mozzarella base. The result is a generous pizza with crunch, softness, and salty bites that change with every slice.

This is a pizza the whole table enjoys, kids included, since they can pick out their favorite toppings. It works just as well on a weeknight as on a Sunday with friends, since everything comes together in 40 minutes using store bought fresh dough. Mon Chou suggests heating the oven fully before baking, since that's what makes the base crisp instead of soft.

The ingredients

4 people

Dairy

  • Fresh pizza dough 2
  • Mozzarella 2

Pantry

  • Tomato sauceoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Jarred artichoke hearts 150 g
  • Black olives 60 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Cooked ham 4 slices

Fruits and vegetables

  • White mushrooms 200 g
  • Green salad 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to 250°C with the baking sheet inside.

    The oven needs to be as hot as it goes, that's the key.

  2. Slice the mushrooms and sauté them dry in a hot skillet until golden. 5 min

    Salt them at the end so they don't release water.

  3. Roll out the dough, spread with tomato sauce, add the mozzarella, mushrooms, drained and chopped artichokes, olives, and ham cut into strips. 6 min

    Add the ham last or after baking so it stays tender.

  4. Slide the pizzas onto the hot baking sheet and bake until the edges are golden. 12 min

    The base should be crisp, lift a corner to check.

  5. Toss the salad with oil, vinegar, and salt, and serve alongside the pizzas. 2 min

    A drizzle of olive oil on the hot pizza adds flavor.

Our tips to get it right

  • Preheat the baking sheet along with the oven, so the dough starts cooking from underneath the moment it goes in.
  • Drain the artichoke hearts well before slicing them, since extra liquid will leave the center of the pizza soggy.
  • Don't pile on too many toppings, a thin even layer cooks better and keeps the middle from turning doughy.

The variations

  • Swap the cooked ham for prosciutto added after baking for a more intense flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the ham and add a few cherry tomatoes or extra parmesan.
  • For picky kids, make individual pizzas with fewer mushrooms and more mozzarella.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with vinaigrette
  • Sparkling water with lemon
  • Cherry tomatoes as a starter

Storage

Baked pizza keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat it for 5 minutes in a hot oven to crisp the base back up. You can freeze it unbaked, assembled flat, and bake it straight from frozen with a few extra minutes of cooking time.

Questions about this dish

Can I use frozen dough instead of fresh dough?

Yes, frozen pizza dough works well, just let it thaw a bit before rolling it out. The baking time stays about the same.

Why cook the mushrooms before adding them to the pizza?

Raw mushrooms release a lot of water as they bake, which makes the dough soggy. Browning them dry in a skillet first lets that water evaporate before they go on the pizza.

Can I prep the toppings ahead of time?

You can slice and cook the mushrooms, then drain and cut the artichokes a few hours ahead. Keep everything in the fridge and assemble the pizza right before baking.

What cheese can replace mozzarella?

Shredded Swiss cheese or a pizza cheese blend also works, though mozzarella melts better and stays stretchier. Avoid very dry cheeses, since they burn easily in such a hot oven.

How long does it take to make a pizza capricciosa with a side salad?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a pizza capricciosa with a side salad?

About 690 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pizza capricciosa with a side salad cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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