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Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza with Spicy Fig JamProsciutto and Arugula Pizza with Spicy Fig Jam
October 18, 2021 | Updated August 9, 2022 | Laura
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This is one of my favorite pizza topping combinations- salty prosciutto, sweet and spicy homemade fig jam, goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, arugula, and sauteed shallots and garlic. This pizza recipe calls for a simple homemade pizza dough that is so tasty. With all of these delicious ingredients combined, you're in for a real treat!
Savory, Sweet, and Spicy
I'm not a big follow-a-recipe type of person when it comes to pizza. I usually just throw anything I can find in the fridge on top and go with it. It usually turns out amazing and then I have a brief moment where I think "Oh, I should tell the world about this pizza combination." But then I fall asleep from being so full of pizza, and I repeat the process next pizza night.
HOWEVER, this pizza broke the cycle of forgetting. I won't take the credit for creating the prosciutto and arugula pizza. It's been around way longer than I have. My addition of goat cheese, sauteed shallot, and the spicy fig jam on top need to be shared though. Because YUM!
The spicy fig jam is the star of the show with this pizza, and that's saying a lot because it's really really hard to beat prosciutto and fresh mozzarella. Okay, maybe they all three tie for first place.
The peppery taste of arugula, the saltiness of the prosciutto, the sweetness and spiciness of the fig jam, and the savoriness of the shallots all make an extremely balanced pizza. I can't stop eating it!
And if the striped toppings on the pizza caught your eye, they are placed like that on purpose! This pizza went with my A Nightmare on Elm Street movie night. The iconic green and red stripes from Freddy's sweater are represented by this pizza.
Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza with Spicy Fig Jam Recipe: Ingredients
*Some of these ingredient links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.*
✽ Pizza Crust: Quick-Rise Yeast, Warm Water, Honey (or Sugar), Salt, Olive Oil, All-Purpose Flour
This is a pretty simple pizza dough recipe but still very tasty! You can swap out another one of your favorite pizza dough recipes or use store-bought pizza dough too as well.
✽ Olive Oil: Olive oil adds flavor to the pizza and helps add some color to the crust. It's also good at preventing the crust from getting soggy from wet ingredients since oil and water do not mix!
✽ Sauteed Shallot & Garlic: Sauteing shallot slices and garlic in some butter until they start to caramelize adds so much deliciousness and savoriness to this pizza.
✽ Fresh Mozzarella: I just love melted fresh mozzarella on top of pizza. Since fresh mozzarella has high water content, we will pre-bake the dough before adding it so the pizza doesn't get soggy.
✽ Goat Cheese: I think this goat cheese brings so much to this pizza. It adds a bit of tartness and pairs well with the prosciutto and fig jam perfectly.
✽ Arugula: The peppery taste of the arugula cuts the saltiness of the prosciutto and adds some crunch and freshness to the pizza.
✽ Spicy Fig Jam: Dried Figs, Serrano, Honey, Water, Balsamic Vinegar, Lemon Juice.
This fig jam is SO GOOD. I use dried figs since they can be found year-round. The serrano makes it very spicy so, if you want to tone down the spiciness, remove the seeds from the serrano, only use half of it, or swap it out for a jalapeno.
This pizza is the one option for this spicy fig jam. Try it on biscuits, toast, or a sandwich. A grilled cheese sandwich with caramelized onions and this spicy fig jam would be exceptionally good!
How to Make Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza and Spicy Fig Jam
➊ The first thing to do is make the pizza dough. 1 teaspoon instant yeast and 1 teaspoon honey are added to 3/4 cup of warm water until it gets frothy (about 5 minutes). You want your water to be 110°F (43°C). This is about the temperature you are just able to put your finger in the water comfortably. If your yeast mixture does not get frothy, this means that your yeast is probably dead, and you will need to start over with new yeast.
1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour are added to the mixture, and it is combined with a wooden spoon until it all comes together.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, knead the dough until smooth and elastic ball (about 3-4 minutes). During this kneading process, you may want to sprinkle a little bit of flour onto the dough so it's not as sticky. However, it's good for the dough to be a little bit sticky during kneading. After kneading, you want the dough to be smooth and slightly tacky. When you pick up the dough, you want it to hold its shape and not sag.
Drizzle a little bit of olive oil into a large bowl, and place the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size. To help the dough rise, you can stick the bowl of dough in a turned OFF oven with another bowl full of warm water.
➋ Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). You want your oven to heat at 500°F for at least 30 minutes prior to baking the pizza so it gets really hot. Lightly oil a pizza pan (preferably one with holes) or baking sheet.
After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and place on a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, gently flatten the dough into a small circle.
Transfer the dough to the prepared pizza pan, and gently stretch and flatten the dough to a 12-13" circle. It may be difficult to get the dough to this size. Don't overstretch it! Once the dough rests for a few minutes on the pan, it will become easier to stretch out to the full circle. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel while you prepare the jam and toppings.
➌ For the fig jam, stir together 4 ounces of sliced dried figs, 1/3 cup honey, 1/3 cup water, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice in a small saucepan. Place on medium heat until simmering. Turn down heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
Put fig mixture in a blender or small food processor and blend together until it is a jam-like consistency. If your jam is too thick, you can put it back into the saucepan with a little bit of water and heat back up. Continue to add small amounts of water until you reach desired consistency.
➍ For the shallots, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Once butter has melted, add 1 sliced shallot and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shallot is golden brown.
Add in 1 minced garlic clove and cook for about 30 seconds more until garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat. Set aside.
➎ Time to prebake the crust! Uncover the dough and finish stretching out the dough to the full 12-13" circle. Using your fingertips, push dents into the dough to prevent the dough from bubbling up. Place the pizza dough in the oven for 6 minutes.
➏ Carefully remove crust from oven, and brush on 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the sauteed shallot and garlic, 8 ounces thinly sliced fresh mozzarella, and 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese.
Put back into oven for 6-10 more minutes. Watch the pizza closely. The pizza is done when the cheese is melted and the crust is golden.
Immediately after pizza is removed from oven, carefully add 4 ounces of prosciutto slices, 2 cups (~1.5 ounces) arugula, and the spicy fig jam. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Arugula, Prosciutto, Goat Cheese Pizza with Fig Jam
• Homemade Ranch Dressing; Pizza and ranch dressing go hand-in-hand.
• Boozy Iced Pumpkin Coffee; Okay, okay. I know pizza and coffee don't really go together.. but if you want to stay with the A Nightmare of Elm Street theme, you're going to NEED to stay awake with this coffee. I'd recommend a nice pizza dinner followed with this boozy coffee as dessert. This pizza paired with this alcoholic coffee are two Nightmare on Elm Street recipes that are sure to give you the perfect scary movie night!
Fig Jam Pizza: Questions
✽ Why do you pre-bake the dough?
I've made quite a few pizzas in my lifetime, and I've had quite a few soggy pizzas come out of the oven.
Because my oven cannot get as hot as an oven in a pizzeria, I pre-bake the dough to prevent the wet ingredients (fresh mozzarella) from making it soggy. If I'm not using fresh mozzarella, I will skip the pre-baking step as it's not usually a problem with other cheeses.
✽ How can I make the fig jam less spicy?
If you don't want any heat at all, I'd recommend leaving the serrano completely out and following recipe as normal.
If you just want less heat, you can also remove the seeds, only use 1/2 or 1/4 of a serrano, or swap out the serrano with a jalapeno or another less spicy pepper. The rest of the recipe can remain the same.
✽ Why is the pizza cooked at such a high temperature?
To get the best result! Most pizza places cook their pizzas at temperatures about 800 degrees! However, home ovens don't get that hot- usually only up to about 500 degrees (see above why I pre-bake my pizza dough for this specific recipe).
A hot temperature will give you a crispy crust on the outside, a perfect rise that results in soft crust inside, good flavor, and melty cheese!
Also to get the highest temperature as possible, allow your oven to preheat for at least 30 minutes before baking.
31 Days of Halloween
This prosciutto and arugula pizza with spicy fig jam is a part of my 31 Days of Halloween. For each day in October, I come up with a cocktail recipe and snack recipe that perfectly matches a scary movie, Halloween movie, or a fun spooky activity. Check out 31 Days of Halloween for all of your Halloween snack and drinking desires!
Looking for more dinner ideas?
→ Check out all of my favorite dinner recipes!
Prosciutto and Argula Pizza with Spicy Fig Jam
By Laura | Laura the Gastronaut
Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Resting Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Yield: one 13" pizza (4 servings)
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This is one of my favorite pizza topping combinations- salty prosciutto, sweet and spicy homemade fig jam, goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, arugula, and sauteed shallots and garlic. This pizza recipe calls for a simple homemade pizza dough that is so tasty. With all of these delicious ingredients combined, you're in for a real treat!
*Some of these ingredient links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.*
**Read entire recipe and the how-to above the recipe prior to cooking for best results.**
Ingredients
For the Pizza Dough:
• 3/4 cup (178 mL) warm water, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon honey, or sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/4 cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
For the Fig Jam:
• 4 ounces dried figs, sliced
• 1 serrano, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup (113 grams) honey
• 1/3 cup (78 grams) water
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Pizza:
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 shallot, sliced (~1/4 cup)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced to 1/4" thick slices
• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• 4 ounces prosciutto slices
• 2 cups (~1.5 ounces) arugula
Instructions
➊ Make Pizza Dough: Add yeast and honey to warm water in a large bowl, and let sit for 5 minutes until frothy. If the mixture does not become frothy, start over with new yeast.
➋ Add salt, oil, and flour to the bowl, and stir until well combined with a wooden spoon. With floured hands, knead dough on a lightly floured surface until dough is soft and smooth (about 3-4 minutes). *If needed, you can sprinkle small amounts of flour at a time onto the dough to make it easier to knead. Just be careful not to add too much flour. A little stickiness is okay. After kneading, you want the dough to be smooth and slightly tacky when you touch it. When you pick up the dough, you want it to hold its shape and not sag.*
➌ Drizzle a small amount of oil into a clean large bowl, and place ball of dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let rest for about an hour, or until doubled in size. *To help dough rise, place the bowl of dough in a turned OFF oven with a bowl of warm water.*
➍ Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). *Ideally, you want the oven to run at 500°F for about 30 minutes before baking pizza.* Lightly oil a pizza pan (recommended, (preferably one with holes)) or baking sheet.
➎ Form Dough: After dough has risen, punch down. Place on a lightly floured surface. Using lightly floured hands, gently flatten dough into a circle. Place the dough on the prepared pan and continue to gently stretch and flatten the dough into a 12-13" circle. *It's okay if dough does not stretch out completely. It will be easier to form after it has rested for a few minutes.* Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let rest while you prepare the jam and toppings.
➏ Make Fig Jam: In a small saucepan, stir together all the ingredients for the fig jam. Place saucepan on medium heat until simmering. Lower heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. In a blender or small food processor, add fig mixuture and blend until jam-like consistency. *If your jam is too thick, you can put back into the saucepan with a little bit of water. Heat for a couple of minutes until desired consistency.* Set aside.
➐ Saute Shallot + Garlic: In a skillet, heat up butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-low heat. Once butter has melted add shallots and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shallots turned golden brown. Add in garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until garlic is fragrant. Set aside.
➑ Pre-bake Dough: Uncover dough and continue to stretch dough out to full 12-13". Using your fingertips, push dents into the dough to prevent it from bubbling up. Place the dough (without toppings) into preheated oven for 6 minutes.
➒ Make Pizza: Carefully, take pizza out of oven and brush on 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add sauteed shallots + garlic, fresh mozzarella slices, and goat cheese.
➓ Cook Pizza: Place pizza back into the oven for 6-10 more minutes. Watch the pizza closely. The pizza is done when the cheese is melted and crust is golden. Immediately after removing pizza from oven, add prosciutto slices, arugula, and the fig jam.
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✽ Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment below and sharing on Instagram. Tag @laurathegastronaut and hashtag it #laurathegastronaut.
Category: Lunch & Dinner, Pork
Keywords: fig jam pizza, fig jam goat cheese prosciutto pizza, fig arugula pizza, spicy fig jam, pizza with fig jam, fig jam and prosciutto pizza, nightmare on elm street recipes, nightmare on elm street recipe
More Pizza Goodness:
✽ Spooky Spider Pizza Rolls (these delicious pizza rolls are so adorable and perfect for Halloween)
✽ Dill Pickle and Garlic Pizza (a must for all fans of pickles, garlic, and pizza)
✽ Italy | Cooking Around the World (join me as I head to Italy in my kitchen to make the best authentic pizza and pasta)
→ Check out all of my dinner recipes!
Bon appétit!
October 18, 2020 by Laura Ehlers
*This Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza with Spicy Fig Jam blog post and recipe may contain some Amazon affiliate links. These link to products that I personally use and recommend. If you purchase anything using my links, it will not cost you anything. It will though give laurathegastronaut.com some financial support which helps me keep this blog running. Thank you for reading my blogs and your continued support.