Prosciutto and cantaloupe are a classic flavor duo, and they both really shine in this white pizza topped with peppery arugula.
Inspired by the cantaloupe caprese salads that flood my food blog feed when summer melons are ripe, this vibrant, fresh-tasting melon pizza is a study in balance. First, I start with a simple white sauce (just some ricotta, heavy cream, chopped fresh basil, salt, and dried urfa chile flakes). Cantaloupe mellows out as it cooks, so to accentuate but not overpower the fruit's flavor, a mild, creamy sauce is key. I tile on some thinly sliced cantaloupe and torn pieces of prosciutto, a slivered garlic clove, and some cubed fresh mozzarella cheese, then bake it until the crust is golden and the cheese has charred in spots. And, finally, when the pizza comes out of the oven, I dress a handful of baby arugula with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil and scatter it over top.
The finished prosciutto and cantaloupe pizza has the perfect mix of sweet, salty, peppery, and creamy flavors. Bonus points if you pair it with a glass of rose or witbier.
Looking for more fruit pizza recipes? Give these a try, too:
- Hawaiian Pizza
- Pear, Bacon, and Gorgonzola Pizza
- Peach, Ricotta, and Prosciutto Pizza
- Maple-Bacon Pizza
- Tomato and Peach Pizza with Herbed White Sauce
Prosciutto and Cantaloupe Pizza
Equipment
- Fork or whisk
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- Pizza peel (optional)
- Wooden spoon
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the white sauce
- ½ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or mint
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- dried chile flakes (such as urfa pepper or red pepper flakes)
For the pizza
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
- ⅛ to ¼ ripe cantaloupe melon very thinly sliced
- 1½ ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- 1 small garlic clove very thinly sliced
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup baby arugula packed
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Fine sea salt
- Dried chile flakes (such as urfa pepper or red pepper flakes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone/steel in the bottom third of the oven before you start preheating). Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes. Then, if you’re using a baking stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
To make the sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta, cream, basil, salt, and a pinch of chile flakes.
To assemble and bake the pizza
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12-inch circle, then transfer it to an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Spread the sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border all around. Arrange the cantaloupe slices on top, then tear the prosciutto slices and scatter it evenly across the pizza. Finish with the garlic and cubed mozzarella.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned in spots—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 6 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel. Remove the pizza from the oven.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the arugula, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Use your hands or tongs to top the baked pizza with the dressed arugula, then slice and serve.
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