Parma Ham Pizza

Why To Try This Parma Ham Pizza

This pizza with Parma ham (prosciutto) is our trusted Friday night fix when we fancy something indulgent but don’t want to spend money on a takeout, or when I simply want to make my own pizza.

Homemade is always better, right? You have full control over what goes into the recipe and can choose a combination of toppings that will satisfy your taste buds to maximum, whilst keeping the calories down. Plus, you can top it up with anything you have in your fridge – from vegetables to salami, ham and cheeses – it’s a fantastic way of using up leftovers!

This pizza dough recipe is super simple and quick – I borrowed it from Jamie Oliver’s 30-minute meals where he calls it Cheat’s pizza. And really, you can put this meal together in less than half an hour!

No yeast is involved, however, if you have an extra couple of hours, then you can make a proper pizza dough by following the dough recipe used in my pizza with butternut squash.

This Parma ham pizza also keeps well in the fridge and will be an awesome addition to any lunch box or picnic the next day.

Key Ingredients

Below is a list of the main ingredients for this homemade pizza with Italian ham. Most of them are widely available in supermarkets. I’ve also added some suggestions on common swaps in the section below for your inspiration. Happy cooking!

• Self-raising flour is a base for this simple pizza dough. If you don’t have a pre-mixed one, make one yourself by mixing all-purpose (AP) flour with baking powder (see the following section for exact ratios).
• Luke-warm water is added to the flour and helps create a sticky dough. Lukewarm means the temperature isn’t cold not hot – perhaps just slightly higher than a usual body temperature (around 37-40 degrees of Celsius or 98-105 F). If in doubt, use room temperature water.
• Extra virgin olive oil gives the dough more moisture and makes it more stretchy.
• Tomato passata is used for the tomato base of the pizza. Mix it with crushed garlic and dried herbs (basil, oregano) to add more flavour, although the dried herbs are optional.
• Parma ham is the main topping. Use cooked Parma ham (Prosciutto cotto) or dried Parma ham (Prosciutto crudo), both will work in this recipe. The dried (cured) variety will become a bit tougher once baked but will still be delicious. The cooked kind will be a bit silkier and less salty. I like to cut off any fatty parts of the ham to keep it less fatty. However, you will get more flavour if you keep it intact.
• Brown or red onion adds a bit of sweetness and a slight crunch to the pizza. Slice it evenly so that all bites are cooked the same.
• Chestnut mushrooms are added for their umami flavour and extra nutrient boost (they are a source of vitamin D, B6 and selenium). Use fresh or frozen sliced mushrooms. Dried mushrooms will need to be rehydrated before adding them otherwise, they will burn.
• Mozzarella cheese brings creaminess to the pizza. Use a fresh mozzarella ball (buffalo mozzarella) or sliced mozzarella.
• For serving: fresh basil leaves to add a vibrant green colour and a spicy and refreshing bite. Add the basil just before serving otherwise the leaves will wilt. Alternatively, you can add it on the side and then everyone can help themselves to it (this is purely optional).

Exact quantities are included in the recipe card below this post.

Substitutes & Variations

Although the ingredient list for this pizza is quite short, you can also make some swaps. Hopefully, these will give you the idea, that this recipe can be easily achieved at home, even if you are a beginner cook or baker!

• All-purpose flour and baking powder – to make your own self-raising flour at home, whisk 100g of plain flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder (using a dry whisk), or shake these thoroughly in an airtight food container.
• Serrano ham, or other high-quality ham ‘from the bone’ are great replacements for prosciutto.
• White (button) mushrooms, or portobello mushrooms – will work instead of chestnut mushrooms.
• Rocket leaves are a fab substitute for basil.
• Dairy-free pizza – skip the cheese or use hard vegan cheese.

All of these swaps are like for like (one for one)!

How to Make Parma Ham Pizza

This pizza with ham and mushrooms is ready in less than 30 minutes -  it only take these 6 steps:

1. Preheat the oven.
2. Mix self-raising flour with salt, oil and water until you get a sticky and thick dough. Knead the dough with your hands on a dusted surface.
3. Prepare the sauce and toppings.
4. Roll the dough evenly onto a baking tray.
5. Spread the tomato sauce on the base and add toppings.
6. Bake until slightly brown on top. Slice it and serve with fresh basil leaves, or a salad.

For more details, see the recipe card at the very bottom of this article.

Top Tips

To ensure this super simple pizza recipe works first time, I suggest that you follow the recipe closely and don’t forget to:

• Preheat the oven first – a very hot oven means that the dough will cook quickly, and it won’t be soggy. There will also be a light crust on top.
• Some of the toppings will shrink during baking – this is a perfectly normal reaction to heat. I recommend that you slightly over do it – you will see that after baking it won’t look as crowded. In case your pizza looks a bit plain, add the basil leaves on top to create an illusion of more toppings.
• Keep an eye on the oven – every oven is different. You don’t want to burn the pizza. Place the pizza with baking tray about ⅓ from the bottom of the oven – this way the top won’t burn as fast, and the bottom will cook through.

Storage & Reheating

This pizza will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store it in an airtight container and enjoy it hot or cold. When reheating pizza, always make sure it is piping hot before serving.

How To Reheat Pizza At Home?

Pizzas taste the best if reheated in the oven. Baking second time round will give the pizza a crust. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/320F, and place the pizza on a baking tray on the middle shelf. Reheat it for 10 minutes (chilled).

Eat the warmed-up pizza as soon as possible after reheating, as the dough will turn rubbery (chewy) in matter of minutes.

Can You Microwave Leftover Pizza?

The short answer is yes, you can reheat (already cooked) pizza in a microwave. However, note that the pizza will become more wet and will lose its typical crunch. From my experience, microwaved pizza also turns hard a lot faster than oven-reheated pizza. If you are in a rush though, reheating it on a microwavable plate will do just fine.

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