February 9th is National Pizza Day. Truly, there is no better way to observe this special day than treating yourself to a nice, warm, satisfying slice of your favorite pizza, and even the Registered Dietitians at THIRA agree.
The THIRA Dietary Team upholds an “all foods fit” paradigm, which means that all foods, including pizza, can be included as part of a health-promoting lifestyle.
We take the stance that there are realistically no “good or bad” foods. Relationships with food are much like relationships with people. To immediately judge someone as “good” or “bad” based on what you hear about them denies you the opportunity to objectively view what they may have to offer in your life, and food should be treated the same way. Labelling a chocolate chip cookie as a “bad” food would deprive you of the joy that they could bring when you only focus your attention to the “good” foods. National Pizza Day is the perfect opportunity to check in with yourself and see if you can welcome your “good” foods and “bad” foods into one loving family of food that is ready to nourish your body, mind, and soul.
With the diversity of pizzas out there waiting for you, we challenge you to treat yourself to a cheese pizza in your pajamas in front of your favorite Netflix show or a supreme pizza on a bench in Bellevue Downtown Park, overlooking the ducks and water. Alternatively, for those who want to meet a new kind of gourmet pizza in the comfort of their own home, try this Prosciutto Arugula Burrata Pizza by The Secret Ingredient Is. This recipe features a fresh-made crust to energize the brain and muscles. Also, the freshly topped arugula is a cruciferous, bitter vegetable that is a powerhouse for optimized digestion, and when paired with the allium vegetable of garlic, their vitamins, minerals and fiber reduce the risk of several diseases. Finally, the sweet and deep balsamic glaze marries the astringent taste of the arugula with the savory taste of the prosciutto for an ultimately satisfying experience.
For the pizza dough:
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- 1 1/8 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the pizza:
- 1 pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 8 ounces buratta
- 6 ounces sliced prosciutto
- Red pepper flakes
- 1 cup arugula
- Salt and pepper
- Balsamic glaze
Instructions:
For the pizza dough:
- In a large bowl, combine yeast, warm water, olive oil, and honey. Mix with a spoon, then let sit for 10 minutes, until foamy. Add in 2 ½ cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt, stir well until the dough starts to come together, but is still a little sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and add in the remaining ½ cup of flour. Knead the dough on a floured surface for a few minutes.
- Rub the same bowl with a little bit of olive oil and place the dough iniside the bowl, turning to coat all sides with the oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and let sit in a warm place for 1-1 ½ hours to rise.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, or if you’re using a pizza stone, reheat to 500 degrees F.
- Once the dough has risen, lightly flour a flat surface. Use your hands or a rolling pin to roll out the pizza dough until it reaches your desired shape.
To assemble the pizza:
- Brush the pizza dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place dough onto the pizza stone, or onto a baking sheet, and bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes, until crust is cooked through and lightly golden brown.
- Remove crust from the oven and brush with the remaining olive oil. Add minced garlic and dried oregano to the crust. Top with mozzarella slices and break the burrata into crumbles onto the crust as well. Put the crust back into the oven and bake for 5-6 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Take the pizza out of the oven and top with the sliced prosciutto. Place the pizza back into the oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until prosciutto is slightly crispy and the crust is entirely cooked through and golden brown.
- In a small bowl, toss the arugula with a teaspoon or so of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Top pizza with arugula, red pepper flakes, and a heavy drizzle of the balsamic glaze.
Recipe found on:
