White Pizza topped with Spinach Salad and Prosciutto

Things that keep me up at night:

1. Lesson planning for math class
2. University students who are living in apartments - on their own for the first time - drunkenly singing songs from the Lion King
3. The realization that we eat pizza in some form multiple times a week.

Okay, maybe the last one doesn't keep me awake at night, but I was struck by that realization of just how much pizza we eat each week. It's not usually a cheese and meat laden extravaganza - in fact, I think variations of the vegan Thrive Diet pizza are probably the kinds that we eat most frequently.

But, there is something about having pizza that makes the weekend feel like the weekend. And, if you make an extra large batch of dough one day and store the remainder of the dough in the freezer, it feels like you've barely put any work into a homemade pizza dinner.

And personally, I like that feeling.

I tried something I haven't done before with pizza the other night - forgo the sauce and the cooked toppings.

Instead, the base was baked with a brush of truffle oil and a mixture of mozzarella and blue cheeses. Once pulled from the oven, I topped it with a dressed spinach salad with prosciutto.

So, it's more salad than pizza... right?


White Pizza with Spinach and Prosciutto

(serves 4)

Ingredients

pizza dough (I used the half I'd set aside from this recipe)
1 tbsp truffle oil (you could use any flavoured oil in its place - garlic oil would be particularly delicious)
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
4 cups baby spinach greens
2 oz thick cut prosciutto, chopped
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place pizza stone in a cold oven. Turn oven on to its highest setting (500º-550º) and preheat stone for an hour. Half an hour into the preheating process, turn pizza dough out onto a floured surface (a pizza peel would be perfect here. Otherwise, use a piece of parchment paper. This will allow you to transfer the dough to the hot stone with minimal fuss. Please note that using the paper will prevent the same kind of crisp browning you would usually get) and shape into the size you want it to be. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 20-30 minutes.

2. Brush dough with truffle oil and sprinkle cheese over surface. Bake in oven for 12 - 17 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden. Remove from oven.

3. While crust is baking, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper. I like to throw dressing ingredients into a small mason jar and shake them up. I find it emulsifies much better that way. Place spinach and prosciutto into a bowl and toss with dressing. Place spinach salad on top of pizza and serve immediately.

The spinach closest to the crust will start to wilt slightly in the heat. Can you say yum?

Prosciutto Wrapped Grissini Sticks with Asiago Dip

Two days late is better than never, right?

I love, love, love this recipe. I love that it took minutes to throw together. I love that the ingredient list is pretty straightforward, but most of all I love the combination of flavours.

Peppery arugula + fatty prosciutto + salty, garlicky asiago dip = pure bliss.

Prosciutto Wrapped Grissini with Asiago Dip

(from the LCBO)

Ingredients

12 grissini
6 slices prosciutto
1.5 cups fresh baby arugula

Dip

1 c. low-fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp. sour cream
1/4 c. grated asiago cheese
1 clove garlic, finely grated or chopped
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 scallion, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1.    Cut each prosciutto slice in two lengthwise.  Lay them end to end, and lightly cover with arugula leaves.

2.    Starting at the end closest to you, lay a grissino down sideways, with the tip resting on the prosciutto.  Using both hands, gently roll the grissino up and over the prosciutto, until the stick is completely covered.  Crimp at the end to secure.

3.    Stack of place in a tumbler and serve with chilled dipping sauce.

4.    In a medium bowl, add all ingredients and mix until evenly blended.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 12 with plenty of dip left over.

Stuffed Pork with Prosciutto and Lemons

I think my love of pork prevents me from ever becoming a vegetarian. And, as the weather turns cold, I find myself turning on the oven more often so I can slow roast.

I won't lie to you. This recipe had... erm... challenges.

One: I am not a butcher. My pork looks... well... not that pretty.

Two: My oven sucks and took twice as long to cook the stuff.

Three: Neither of the above two should matter because it was delicious, right?

Lemon and Prosciutto Stuffed Pork Loin with Broccolini


Ingredients

1 4-pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
12 thin prosciutto slices (about 6 ounces)
1 large lemon, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 1/2 pounds broccolini, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 cup Pinot Grigio or other dry white wine
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Place pork, fat side down, on work surface with 1 short end facing you. Using long thin sharp knife and starting 1/2 inch above underside of roast, cut 1/2 inch in along right side. 

Continue cutting 1/2 inch above underside, unrolling roast like carpet. 

Yeah, it's not pretty. I know. Amateur + dull knife = less than amazing butchering.

Arrange prosciutto evenly over pork, overlapping if necessary. 

Arrange lemon slices over prosciutto. 

Sprinkle with panko, then chives. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. 

Turn pork so 1 short end faces you. Beginning at 1 short end, roll up pork; arrange seam side down on work surface (fat side will be facing up). 

Using kitchen string, tie at 1- to 1 1/2-inch intervals. Transfer pork, fat side up, to roasting pan. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Meanwhile, place roasting pan over 2 burners on medium-high heat. Add broth and wine; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 8 minutes. Stir in butter. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Strain sauce into small pitcher. Season with salt and pepper.

Using kitchen scissors, cut string along top of roast; discard. Cut pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices; arrange on platter. Drizzle lemon juice over broccolini; season with salt and pepper. Serve pork with broccolini, passing sauce alongside.

Divide broccolini between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle olive oil over, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place in oven and roast until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes, reversing sheets halfway through roasting. 

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 450°F. Place pork on lower rack; roast 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F; roast pork until instant-read thermometer registers 145°F when inserted into center of pork, 45 to 60 minutes longer, depending on thickness of roast. Transfer to cutting board. Increase oven temperature to 375°F.

Cook broccolini in pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain; cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pork; chill. Wrap broccolini in paper towels, then plastic; chill.