It’s Pizza Friday, and there’s lots of Italian goodness in this one from the host of ingredients of Italian origin. There is no tomato sauce on this pie. Instead, three kinds of cheese are the base for the topping ingredients. Ricotta, an unripened soft Italian cheese, is made from the milk whey left over from the production of other cheeses.

The meat on this pizza can be either prosciutto or soppressata. (I prefer prosciutto and Eric likes it with soppressata. Our Friday night pizzas are usually made with each of these meats on opposite halves of the pizza.) Both of these Italian meats are made from pork. Prosciutto is made from the hind legs of pigs and is aged during a dry-curing process. Soppressata is a cured meat made of lean cuts of pork, packed in thick casings and aged for about 40 days.

There are also pickled onions and peppers on this pizza. I have yet to find a product like this sold in stores, but fortunately, the combination is easy enough to make at home. The pickled onions and peppers need to be made at least a day ahead of time to allow for the flavors to blend before they are used as a pizza topping in this recipe.

Time to make the pizza!

Pickled Onions and Peppers (adapted from marthastewart.com) Total Time Required: 1 day, Prep Time: 15 minutes, Yield: 2 pints

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups apple-cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 3 whole allspice berries
• 2 dried bay leaves
• coarse salt
• 8 ounces (about 2 small) red onions, cut into rings
• 8 baby bell peppers (8 ounces), cut into rings
• 1 small jalapeno, cut into rings

Directions:

Combine the vinegar with 3/4 cup water and the sugar, spices, and 2 tablespoons of salt in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Fill clean glass jars tightly with the vegetables.

Add the boiling brine to cover the vegetables completely.

Let the jars cool completely. Cover, label, and refrigerate for at least 1 day before using. Keep refrigerated and use within 3 months.

White Pizza with Pickled Onions & Peppers (adapted from marthastewart.com) Total Time Required: 45 minutes, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ricotta
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking sheet and drizzling
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound pizza dough
• 1-1/2 cups pickled onions and peppers
• 2 ounces prosciutto or soppressata, very thinly sliced
• dried basil and oregano for sprinkling

Directions:

Place the pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 475ºF.

Stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, and Monterey Jack cheeses, garlic, and oil in a small bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Roll or stretch out the dough to a 14-inch diameter. Generously sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal and transfer the dough to the peel. Spread the cheese mixture over the dough.

Add the pickled veggies and prosciutto and/or soppressata to the pizza, then sprinkle with basil and oregano.

Bake the pizza until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, about 8 to 12 minutes. Allow the pizza to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Slice and serve.

Pizza is the most perfect food!  ~Linda

Pickled Onions and Peppers (adapted from marthastewart.com) Total Time Required: 1 day, Prep Time: 15 mins, Yield: 2 pints

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups apple-cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 3 whole allspice berries
• 2 dried bay leaves
• coarse salt
• 8 ounces (about 2 small) red onions, cut into rings
• 8 baby bell peppers (8 ounces), cut into rings
• 1 small jalapeno, cut into rings

Directions:

Combine the vinegar with 3/4 cup water and the sugar, spices, and 2 tablespoons of salt in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Fill clean glass jars tightly with the vegetables. Add the boiling brine to cover the vegetables completely. Let the jars cool completely. Cover, label, and refrigerate for at least 1 day before using. Keep refrigerated and use within 3 months.

White Pizza with Pickled Onions & Peppers (adapted from marthastewart.com) Total Time Required: 45 minutes, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ricotta
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking sheet and drizzling
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound pizza dough
• 1-1/2 cups pickled onions and peppers
• 2 ounces prosciutto or soppressata, very thinly sliced
• dried basil and oregano for sprinkling

Directions:

Place the pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 475ºF.

Stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, and Monterey Jack cheeses, garlic, and oil in a small bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Roll or stretch out the dough to a 14-inch diameter. Generously sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal and transfer the dough to the peel. Spread the cheese mixture over the dough, then top it with pickled veggies and prosciutto and/or soppressata. Sprinkle the basil and oregano over the top.

Bake the pizza until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, about 8 to 12 minutes. Allow the pizza to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve.