Pizza is a great summer treat, and the possibilities for taste combinations are only limited by your imagination. Pre-made pizza shells, available at most supermarkets, take the hardest part out of pizza preparation and leave all the creativity with ingredients to you. Here’s one of my favorite combinations, and I think you’ll like it too. But beware… be sure to follow the stacking order of the ingredients below. I’ve experimented with other ways to layer the ingredients, and had problems with soggy crusts!
Ingredients:
- 8 white mushrooms (about 4 ounces)
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large pizza shell (12-inch round)
- 6 thin slices turkey (or ham)
- 2 medium-sized tomato, thinly sliced
- Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
- 3 teaspoons chopped parsley or basil
- 6 thin slices Swiss cheese (about 2 ounces)
To Prepare:
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Wipe mushrooms clean and trim stems; slice.
- Heat oil in a small skillet. Add mushroom slices and cook over high heat for 2 minutes, shaking skillet. Reserve.
- Cover pizza shell with turkey slices. Top with sliced mushrooms and tomato. Sprinkle with pepper and parsley to taste. Top with cheese.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately.
Variations:
- This is a topping well worth the extra effort- Saute about a pound of thinly sliced mushrooms in a tablespoon of butter and ¼ cup of white wine. Spoon onto the pizza just before serving. Again, beware… use too much and you’ll have the soggy crust problem again.
- If you like a Southwestern taste to your pizza, substitute slices of smoked chicken breast and Monterey Jack Cheese, then sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
- Create a great Italian taste with prosciutto and mozzarella.
