This Quick Mushroom and Ham Pizza is a warm and cozy pizza that you can whip up on a whim because it’s made with…wait for it…refrigerated dough!
I’ve never tried pizza dough in a tube, and I was curious about it, so I picked one up the other day at the supermarket just for kicks. I don’t make a lot of pizza at home, mostly because I forget to plan ahead for the whole yeast rising thing, so while the canned dough isn’t on a par with homemade, it turned out pretty good, and I like the idea of being able to whip up pizza on a whim. It also frees me to concentrate on the toppings, which is fun, I look forward to getting more creative with my next experiment!
The first thing I realized is that the dough comes out of the tube in a big (cold) rectangle (duh). I wanted a round pizza, so I brought it together into a ball by folding it under itself a few times. Then I let the cold dough rest under plastic for about 15 minutes, just to let it relax so I could roll it out more easily. If you try to roll it while it’s cold from the fridge it won’t cooperate. Pizza dough, whether homemade or from a can, is elastic by nature, so if you have trouble getting it to keep its shape, let it relax a little longer. You have to play with it a bit.
TIP: If you’re not into fighting with the dough to make it round, just leave it as a rectangle. You will probably need to reduce the cooking time.
I rolled the dough out to a 10- inch circle to fit my pan, but you can take it to 12 inches if you like a thinner crust. Place the dough on your pan, and then make dimples all over the dough with your fingertips. I drizzle the surface with olive oil, and then arrange my toppings. This one is a ‘white’ pizza, so no tomato sauce required.
TIP: The ham added a ton of flavor to this pizza, I highly recommend it!
This makes enough for 4, and you can cut it in fat or thin slices. It’s best hot from the oven.
White Mushroom and Ham Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pizza dough, I used Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust
- cornmeal
- olive oil
- 1 pint sliced cremini mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup ham, diced in small bits
- 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp dried
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more if you love extra cheese
Instructions
- Set oven to 450°F
- Unwrap the dough and form the rectangle into a ball by turning the edges under until it becomes a smooth round shape. Set it on a surface that has been dusted with cornmeal, cover with plastic, and let rest for 15 minutes.
- While the dough rests, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet and saute the mushrooms, garlic, ham and thyme until the mushrooms are browned, about 10 minutes.
- Roll out the dough to a 10 inch round and transfer to a pan or baking sheet. If you like a thinner crust you can roll out to a 12" round.
- Make dimples all over the dough with your fingertips and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Lay down a layer of cheese, and then add the mushrooms. I usually add a little more cheese over parts of the mushrooms, leaving at least half of them showing.
- Bake the pizza for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden browned and everything is melted and sizzling. Serve right away.
Notes
- Don’t overload your pizza with too many toppings or the crust won’t get a chance to cook through and may become soggy. Â
- Be sure your oven is at the right temperature, pizza dough needs a high heat to cook properly.Â
After I make a batch of your weight loss soup, this pizza is up next – it looks fab!