Ham Olive Asparagus Ricotta Pizza (Printable)

Vibrant Italian-style creation with smoky ham, briny olives, tender asparagus, and creamy ricotta atop golden crispy crust.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pizza Base

01 - 1 ball (about 10.5 ounces) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons fine cornmeal or all-purpose flour for dusting

→ Sauce

04 - 1/3 cup tomato passata or pizza sauce
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Toppings

08 - 3.5 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham or prosciutto
09 - 3.5 ounces fresh ricotta cheese
10 - 2.8 ounces pitted green or black olives, sliced
11 - 3.5 ounces asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch pieces
12 - 3.5 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
13 - 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 480°F or maximum temperature. Place pizza stone in oven if using to heat thoroughly.
02 - Lightly dust baking sheet or pizza peel with cornmeal or flour. Stretch or roll pizza dough into a 12-inch round.
03 - Brush stretched dough evenly with olive oil.
04 - Combine tomato passata, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Spread evenly over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border.
05 - Scatter shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over sauce base.
06 - Distribute ham slices, asparagus pieces, and olive slices evenly over mozzarella.
07 - Place spoonfuls of ricotta cheese across toppings. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
08 - Bake 12 to 15 minutes until crust is golden and crisp, cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.
09 - Remove from oven and let cool 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, slice, and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between salty ham and milky ricotta creates this perfect balance that makes every bite interesting
  • Asparagus might sound fancy on pizza but it's actually brilliant because it gets tender and sweet in the hot oven while still keeping a little crunch
  • This comes together in about 35 minutes start to finish which means weeknight pizza night is actually achievable
02 -
  • Don't overload the ricotta or the underneath will stay soggy while the top bakes, those dollops should be generous but not touching each other
  • Asparagus pieces that are too thick won't cook through in the short baking time, aim for pencil thickness or slice thicker spears in half lengthwise
  • If you don't have a pizza stone, bake on the lowest oven rack to get that bottom heat that crisps the crust
03 -
  • If your asparagus is thick, use a vegetable peeler to shave the woody ends instead of just trimming them, this uses more of the spear and looks elegant on the pizza
  • The ricotta will weep moisture in the oven, so if you have time, let it drain in a sieve for 30 minutes before using

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