Another Friday night pizza...

I sense a theme happening... for the third Friday in a row, we've made pizza! I'm all for a simple cheese or pepperoni pizza, but we have really been enjoying the unusual ones like that Nectarine and Prosciutto Pizza and the Malaysian Chicken Pizza we did last week.

While tonight's pizza isn't that unusual, this un-sauced Venetian Rolled Pizza isn't your everyday pizza either. Of course, we did throw together our trusty homemade whole wheat pizza dough for this pizza, but you could certainly use your favorite dough - I know many local pizza places will even sell you their dough if you ask!

After a few pulls and presses, I tossed about a cup of mozzarella cheese over the large naked circle of dough. Paper thin strips of prosciutto are then laid on top of the cheese - I gave an ounce measurement for the prosciutto, but just use enough to cover the top in a single layer as it can get fairly salty. Hand torn leaves of tender baby spinach are sprinkled on top, along with a couple pinches of crushed red pepper. Since we follow the rule of "more cheese please", another dose of shredded mozzarella is the final addition.

When you roll this stuffed pizza up, try and keep the dough tight as you roll it, pinch the seam well at the end and gently tuck the sides under. Pay attention to that bottom seam and pinch it together well - this will ensure all of those lovely fillings stay inside and do not blow out as the dough expands in the hot oven. To crisp up the dough and give it a golden crust, while also adding a little flavor, the assembled log in rubbed with olive oil. If you are overly sensitive to salt, you may want to skip the sprinkle on top of the dough as the prosciutto has enough as is, but both of us loved that added touch. Once baked, leave the roll be for at least 10 minutes - the cheese is quite molten and the pizza roll will not slice well when pipping hot.

I loved the layered look on the inside with the lighter crust, the pinkish prosciutto and the hint of green from the spinach. My basil plants needed to be left alone since I've been picking on them so much, but I think a few fresh leaves would be a nice addition to those circular layers too. While we had the slices (probably a bit too many!) with a side salad for a main dish, you could slice these up and serve with your favorite marinara as a striking appetizer.

Recipes
Venetian Rolled Pizza