Premarital Pizza

There is a precious pizzeria in New Orleans on St. Charles Avenue called Slice. It is tiny little restaurant that can only be spotted on the grand street by its small black awning with white writing. Their pizza is delicious. You can order by the slice and create any particular pie your heart desires. Forrest and I had one of our very first dates there and I remember it as a night where the conversation was free flowing and the laughs plentiful. I have vivid memories of that night and even remember what I wore and songs that played on the radio as he drove me home. It was if I knew that this second date would turn into something special. I even remember what I ate that night. I ordered a pizza with these exact ingredients and this recipe brought back those exciting new relationship memories.

Artichoke, Mushroom, Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza
Adapted from Cooking Light January 2007

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 2 wedges)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough (can be found by Pillsbury crescent rolls and cinnamon rolls)
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced crimini mushrooms, sauteed in cooking spray until tender
  
• 1 can of artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 ounce thinly sliced prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups arugula leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Position oven rack to lowest setting. Preheat oven to 500°

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray; sprinkle with cornmeal. Unroll dough onto prepared baking sheet, and pat into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Spread the olive oil evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.

Use a pastry brush to spread the olive oil evenly over the dough. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the olive oil. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Place baking sheet on the bottom oven rack; bake at 500° for 5 minutes. Remove pizza from oven.

Coarsely chop artichokes. Arrange artichokes on pizza; top with sliced prosciutto and mushrooms.

Sprinkle with Parmesan. Return pizza to the bottom oven rack; bake an additional 5 minutes or until crust is browned.

Place arugula in a bowl. Drizzle lemon juice over arugula; toss gently. Top the pizza with arugula mixture. Cut the pizza into 4 (7 x 5-inch) rectangles; cut each rectangle diagonally into 2 wedges or leave in squares.