Prosciutto Arugula Lavash Pizza

I hadn’t gotten to the subject of dinner and it was past five. With three hungry kids nipping at my heels (literally), I took a wild-eyed spin around the kitchen — pantry, freezer, fridge, bread basket – making a mental note of my options for a 20 minute answer to dinner (not many) and briefly considered take-out. The half empty package of whole wheat lavash bread caught my eye and a twinkle of an idea filtered through: Lavash Pizza. I fired up the oven and whirled a tomato sauce in the blender, seasoning it with a few staples from my spice drawer, wondering all the while if this was going to be any good. A bit of reconnaissance in the fridge produced the necessary toppings and when the prosciutto arugula lavash pizzas went in to bake, I set to work on a few side dishes.

The gorgeous lettuces that arrived that morning in my CSA box found their way into a salad accented with orange sections and walnuts, which my daughter Rosie toasted for me after I burned them twice (distraction is a terrible thing when it comes to toasting nuts). A head of steamed Romanesco, which looks like a prehistoric animal and tastes like cauliflower and broccoli, rounded out the supper.

The easy lavash pizza was a hands-down hit. When I made it again a week later, this time with an egg cracked in the center, I found myself hoovering a few slices before it even made it to a serving plate. The whole experience reminds me that the old adage, “necessity is the mother of invention” is never so true as it is in the kitchen. Plus, it was a whole lot better tasting, healthier, and cheaper, than take-out.

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Lavash Pizza with Prosciutto and Arugula

To turn this ordinary pizza into a breakfast pie, after about 5 minutes of baking, remove them from the oven and crack an egg in the center of each one. Continue baking, this time on the top rack, and cook until the egg whites are opaque while the yolks remain soft.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

• One 14.5- ounce can diced, unsalted tomatoes, drained
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• Four 8x10-inch pieces whole wheat lavash bread (see notes)
• 1 1/3 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups arugula or baby spinach
• 4 to 6 thin slices prosciutto

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F with the rack on the lowest level.
2. Whirl the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, fennel, oregano and salt in a blender for about 30 seconds until smooth.

3. Lay the lavash (not overlapping) on 2 baking sheets. Spread a thin layer of sauce evenly over the lavash, covering the entire surface (save the remaining sauce for another use). Sprinkle the two cheeses on top, followed by the arugula. Tear the prosciutto into pieces and distribute over the pizza.

4. Bake the pizzas on the bottom rack of the oven until crispy around the edges, about 10 minutes. Cut into quarters or eighths and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Lavash is a Middle Eastern flat bread available in many supermarkets and specialty stores

Photo credit for Lavash Pizza: Jennifer Martine for Best Lunch Box Ever (Chronicle Books, 2013)