Every time I have a peach mango cosmo, I think of this pizza salad from Charley’s in the New London, Conn. Crystal Mall.  It closed a few years back (sadly), but it remains embedded among my favorite memories from home!  Even after I moved away, I would return once a year or so – and eagerly look forward to enjoying that cosmo, and this amazing pizza salad with my sisters – on our annual shopping expedition to the mall.

What was so great about it you say??  Well, I’ve never had anything quite like it – a personal size pizza, with olive oil, garlic, cheese and prosciutto, then piled high with fresh leafy greens and a light vinaigriette dressing.  It’s nothing like having a slice of pizza with salad on the side.  There was just something about the pizza underneath, that soaked up the vinaigriette dressing!  It was hot and warm, yet cold and fresh all at the same time!  So yummy!  I ate the whole thing.  In fact, when the waiter came for our order, I didn’t even need the menu!  I knew what I wanted every time.

I set about recreating this pizza salad from my memory – and am quite pleased with the outcome!

You will need:

Pizza dough (see my prior post) or make or purchase your own)
Roasted garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper
Fresh basil
More olive oil for pan
flour
thin-sliced prosciutto
asiago or other shredded cheese
mixed greens, fresh tomatoes, store-bought viniagriette

I had made a batch of my Mom’s pizza dough earlier in the week (see prior post), and only used 1/2 of it.  I froze the other 1/2.  Perfect for pizza salads for 2 tonight!  I just thawed it, and let it rise a bit.  You can also purchase dough, ready made.

While that was happening, I roasted (rather “steamed”) a head of garlic in the microwave.  I love it in the oven, but I didn’t have an hour to wait for that!  So I cut the top off of the head, (this one happens to have come from my sister’s garden in Alabama!) poured a little olive oil over it, salt and pepper, then into the microwave – covered – for about 3-5 min.  The cloves came out nice and soft!  Cooked perfectly.

Add them to a small bowl, with about 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil, and about 1/4 tsp of fresh ground pepper.  Mash together with a fork.

Preheat oven to 375.

Divide the dough into 2 pizzas.  Spread a little olive oil onto a pizza pan, or cookie sheet.  Press dough into about 8″ to 10″ circles, using a little flour, and your fingers.  Top each with a little of the garlic/olive oil mixture.

Top with thin sliced prosciutto, lightly piled onto the dough.

Add shredded asiago cheese (of course you can use any cheese you like, or have on hand).

Bake in preheated oven for about 25 – 30 min.   It should be lightly brown, but still soft.  Sprinkle with chopped, fresh basil.   Cut pizza into 4 slices, and place on a plate.

Top with mixed greens and fresh tomatoes, tossed with a little vinagriette (I used a store-bought brand I had in the frig).  Pile high onto your pizzas.