Spring Pizza

With fresh spring vegetables, prosciutto and a zesty lemon vinaigrette, this spring pizza is the perfect celebration of the start of warmer months.

One can never have enough pizza, especially pizzas that celebrate the seasons like this summer pizza or even a pumpkin pizza.

You know what's great about pizza? You really can put whatever you want on it! It's funny to think, but with having pizza basically every Friday night, you would think we have just a lot of pepperoni pizzas, but I've never actually made one... at least I don't remember making one.

But today is about this spring pizza, since we are in the middle of spring or summer for you Florida folk.

So what makes it a spring-themed pizza? Well it's loaded with fresh vegetables like asparagus and sugar snap peas! Oh and it also has a lemon vinaigrette that has just the right about of sourness to go with the saltiness of the prosciutto.

This might be one of those recipes you're questioning on paper, but I've learned to never question anything that from Half Baked Harvest which is where I got the inspiration for this.

Even if you don't have pizza every Friday like us, this spring pizza is one of those recipes that is definitely worth giving a try.

Jump to:

• Recipe Ingredients
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• What are Keys to No-Knead Pizza Dough?
• Do I Have To Make My Own Pizza Dough?
• Tips for Great Homemade Pizza
• Other Pizza Recipes
• Spring Pizza

Recipe Ingredients

• Pizza dough - use store-bought or homemade.
• Olive oil - helps emulsify the vinaigrette.
• Lemon - adds bright citrus flavor.
• Basil - fresh herbs make vinaigrettes tastes better.
• Dijon mustard - helps hold together the lemon vinaigrette.
• Garlic - can't have a vinaigrette without it.
• Salt and pepper - enhances the flavor.
• Asparagus - adds bright, clean, earthy undertones.
• Sugar snap peas - adds crunch texture and sweet flavor.
• Mozzarella and feta cheese - adds creaminess and saltiness to the pizza.
• Prosciutto - gives the pizza some saltiness and texture as it crisps when it cooks.
• Capers - a salty/briny flavor that works well with the other ingredients.
• Crushed red pepper flakes - just a hint of heat.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in blender and pulse until combined. Adjust with salt and pepper if tasting. Place pizza stone in oven 8″ from the broiler element and preheat to 500°F. You want stone to be in oven for at least 30 minutes at 500°F.
2. Sprinkle pizza peel with cornmeal or flour. Use your hands to gently tug, pull and push the dough to the shape you want and place on pizza peel. Spread 3-4 tablespoon lemon vinaigrette evenly throughout dough, leaving edges untouched.
3. Add mozzarella, feta cheese, asparagus, sugar snap peas and capers, if using.
4. Once stone is preheated, turn broiler to high. Transfer pizza to pizza stone and bake for 4-5 minutes or until top is bubbly and bottom is golden brown. Remove from oven and top with crushed red pepper and serve with remaining vinaigrette.

What are Keys to No-Knead Pizza Dough?

Honestly not much. Make sure you use lukewarm water for the yeast and then after you mix, just give it time to rise overnight. Probably the most important thing would be in a warm area, preferably around 72°F. After the dough has risen overnight transfer to a floured surface and shape in a ball, then let rise for a couple more hours.

Obviously with a no-knead dough you have to plan on making the pizza the following day. So if you’re like us and have Pizza Friday’s, you just make the dough Thursday night for this spring pizza.

Do I Have To Make My Own Pizza Dough?

Of course not. I just like making pizza dough, but you can buy fresh dough where you roll out yourself or pre-baked crusts. I still suggest buying the fresh pizza dough. Most grocery stores carry it these days, but Trader Joe’s has the best!

Tips for Great Homemade Pizza

• Use Great Dough: While you can buy some dough from the store, I recommend making this no-knead pizza dough. You just make it the night before and light it rise for 24 hours before using.
• Spread Sauce Evenly: You will read a variety of opinions on sauce, but I’m a firm believer in lightly spreading the pizza sauce evenly. A sauce should compliment the pizza, but not be the star. This applies to the onions as well which act as a sauce.
• Use a Pizza Stone: Place the pizza stone in the oven 8″ from the broiler element. Turn the oven to 500°F. You want to place the pizza stone in a cold oven, otherwise it could crack. The pizza stone holds heat which allows you to get a golden brown crust on the bottom.
• Broil Pizza: Leave the pizza stone in the oven once it reaches 500°F for at least 30 minutes, but preferably an hour. When you are ready to make the pizza turn the broiler on. Transfer the spring pizza to the stone, baking for 4-5 minutes or until the top is bubbly and the bottom is golden brown.

Other Pizza Recipes

• Sun-Dried Tomato Prosciutto Pesto Pizza
• Sicilian-Style Pizza
• Peach Prosciutto Balsamic Pizza
• Fig Prosciutto Pizza
• Pear and Prosciutto Pizza

If you’ve tried this spring pizza or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.