Ancient Grains Proscuitto, Pear and Goat Cheese Pizza

In our home, family time is spent in the kitchen or outside at the grill talking, laughing and creating delicious meals together. That's where Donna Currie's Make Ahead Bread book comes in. It's full of amazing recipes that are delicious, healthy and easy to prepare. Not to mention the photography is gorgeous, too! Share these recipes with your family and friends and see their smiles when they take their first bite of freshly baked bread from the oven, or in our case freshly baked pizza off the grill.

Donna's Whole Wheat Parmesan Pizza Crust is the perfect crust. So quick and easy to make with just the right amount of crispiness on the outside and a perfectly chewy texture on the inside. Oh yeah, and it tastes amazing!


Here's my take on an already incredible pizza dough. Non-traditional toppings with a high protein, ancient grains twist.

I highly recommend the Make Ahead Bread book as a staple for every kitchen. Order yours today at Make Ahead Bread: 100 Recipes for Melt-in-Your-Mouth Fresh Bread Every Day.

Ancient Grains Proscuitto, Pear and Goat Cheese Pizza
by Lori
Adapted from Make Ahead Bread: 100 Recipes for Melt-In-Your-Mouth Fresh Bread Every Day by Donna Currie

Makes 4 individual pizzas

Pizza Dough:
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 package Red Star Quick Rise Yeast (1/4 ounce)
3 cups King Arthur Bread Flour (13 1/2 ounces - sifted) - more as needed for kneading
1/2 cup King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Quinoa Flour
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Amaranth Flour
2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese - grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt - fine grind
1 Tablespoon tomato infused olive oil

Pizza Topping:
Your choice of red sauce
Proscuitto
Fresh mozzarella
Gjetöst - Norwegian goat cheese (found at your specialty grocer)
Oven roasted Roma tomatoes
1 pear (firm), cored and thinly sliced
Fresh oregano
Fresh basil
Artisan extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Other items you will need:
Parchment paper
Pizza stone
Pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet
Outdoor gas grill (these work great as an affordable alternative to a wood fired pizza oven)

Begin by adding water and sugar to a stand mixer bowl and let sugar dissolve. Add yeast and 2 cups of bread flour. Mix with fork and set aside for 10 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup quinoa flour, 1/4 cup amaranth flour and remaining 1 cup of bread flour, mix with fork until all ingredients come together. Place in stand mixer and knead with the dough hook until smooth. Add Pecorino Romano cheese and salt and knead until well distributed, adding additional flour if needed to keep it from sticking.

Using a 1 gallon zip-lock bag, measure 1 Tablespoon of tomato infused olive oil into bag. Place dough in bag and move it around to coat with oil. Close bag and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Pizza Day:

Remove dough from refrigerator and it let come to room temperature before you want to use it. Place baking stone on outdoor grill and heat to 550°F. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Cut 4 pieces parchment paper 8 x 13 inches. Form dough into an oblong so that you can easily bake two pizzas at a time on your baking stone. Spread on your favorite red sauce, add strips prosciutto, mozzarella, gjetöst, oven roasted roma tomatoes, pear slices, fresh oregano, fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Trim corners of parchment paper.

Bake at 550°F for 7-8 minutes. Place on cooling rack for 5 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!