Gourmet pizza with arugula, prosciutto, shaved parmigiano and truffle oil!

Either white or black truffle oil will add an earthy and decadent flavor to your gourmet pizza!

Darlings, which camp are you in? If you are in the camp that pizza should never be garnished with rabbit food (lettuce or greens of some sort) and eaten with your hands, STOP READING NOW!!! However, if you are in the camp of enjoying gourmet pizzas with a lovely fresh salad on top, then this is the recipe for YOU!

La Diva was tired of paying almost $30 for delivered pizzas that came to the door limp, soggy and lacking any type of crispness (unlike those FABULOUS New York thin-crust wood-fired pizzas!) so I decided to start making my own. As you well know, La Diva generally does not "do" dough (although I am trying to make more of an effort!) but with the help of some quality key ingredients and store-bought dough, you can make a DEE-LISH gourmet pizza just like at the local Italian pizzeria. No, that's not true. It will be infinitely superior!!! (It's easy, darlings, truly! La Diva will guide you through the whole thing!)

La Diva's gourmet pizza with arugula, prosciutto, shaved parmigiana and truffle oil

Serves two to four people depending on how hungry they are

Ingredients:
1 1lb. fresh pizza dough (I get mine from the bakery department of the grocery store)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (I use Hunt's natural sauce with basil, garlic and oregano)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 c freshly grated parmigiana cheese + extra to shave on pizza later
garlic salt, dried oregano, Italian herb mix
16 thinly sliced prosciutto pieces
3 cups baby arugula (rocket)
truffle oil, any type
extra virgin olive oil
handful of corn meal or polenta
handful of white flour

Rest dough on counter about an hour and a half before dinner to let dough rise. Once the dough has risen, add a bit of flour to your hands and gently toss dough in a circle, stretching and turning as you go. If you get a few holes, don't worry, you can always patch it up! This recipe is for a rectangular pizza so try and coax the dough into an oblong shape.

On a large cookie sheet, lightly brush extra virgin olive oil on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle a bit of the polenta or corn meal on the bottom. This will stop the pizza from sticking while adding a lovely crunchy texture to the crust. Push dough into corners and sides, as best as you can, it doesn't have to be perfect, this pizza is rustic! If you get holes, patch it up by pinching together.

Feel free to click on all the photos to enlarge!

Put sauce into a small bowl and add to taste garlic salt, oregano and Italian herbs. Spread sauce over pizza dough with a spoon. Now add the mozzarella and grate the parmigiano cheese over the entire base. Don't over-do it with the cheese, as you'll be adding more rich ingredients later.

Bake pizza in middle of oven for a minimum of 20 minutes. I like my pizza well done for an extra crispy 'za! Once done to your likeness, take out of the oven and slide onto wooden cutting board with the aid of a spatula under the pizza. Cut into 8 pieces and plate. Add a handful of arugula and drizzle a bit of the truffle oil over the greens. Now tear up a bit of the prosciutto and add to the salad and then shave just a few curls of parmigiano cheese on top. Grind some black pepper and MANGIA!!!

Pizza is such a wonderfully versatile food. The crust is a fantastic base for myriad delights, so why just keep doing "old school" pepperoni and mushroom? Another variation La Diva loves is to make the cheese base and add a Greek salad on top with romaine, kalamata olives, a bit of fresh feta, plenty of oregano and then dressed with red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Make sure you dress the greens before putting on the pizza so as not to make the dough soggy!

Darlings, you KNOW you want to click on the photo to see all it's pizza decadent goodness! yum!

So, go on, darlings, live a little a forgo your old school pizza inclinations and try this gourmet pie this weekend! Ciao!

PS: Thanks for the truffle oil Melony!cooking class, cocktails, parties, cocktail party, Miami, coral gables, events, bartending class, cocktail class, Laura Lafata, Miami Beach, miami cooking classes, bachelorette parties, bachelorette party