Pizza capricciosa (literally capricious pizza) is a popular pizza in Italy, but not very well known throughout the world. It consists of 4 different types of toppings, being basically a “mixed” 4 seasons pizza, because it usually has the same toppings, but mixed together.
You can choose your own preferred toppings for your pizza capricciosa, but a very typical setting is using cooked ham (prosciutto cotto), button mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and black olives. These are the ones that I’m using in this recipe.
For an authentic Italian pizza, using 4 different toppings is actually very rare, they tend to use less. Also these toppings have really different flavors – in the classic 4 seasons pizza they represent the flavor profile of the 4 seasons of the year. These different toppings make it that when you bite into a pizza capricciosa, you don’t really know what to expect. Thus this is a capricious, impulsive, unpredictable pizza by Italian standards.
Tips For Making Pizza Capricciosa
- Amounts in this recipe yield 1 large pizza capricciosa.
- You need 280 g (10 oz) of dough for a regular size pizza, and 140 g (5 oz) for a small pizza.
- If you are making more then one pizza, cut the dough into equal sizes, about 10 oz or 280g each and form a ball for each one of your pizzas.
- Use prosciutto cotto, or cooked ham if you can’t find it, for this pizza.
- Canned artichoke hearts pair best to the flavors of the ham.
- See my pizza dough recipe for more details.
- Also learn how to shape your pizza at home.
Pizza Capricciosa Topping Tips
To really enjoy an authentic, homemade pizza capricciosa, I recommend you use quality products. I think one of the most important factors of making a real Italian pizza is to use less toppings, but with excellent quality.
- Italian prosciutto cotto (literally cooked ham) is what makes the difference in any pizza, so be sure you try it!
- You can use regular button mushrooms, or Italian brown mushrooms, which are basically immature portobello mushrooms.
- If you don’t want to hassle with preparing your fresh artichokes (or you can’t get them), just use canned artichoke hearts. They have a slight vinegary taste, but that goes well with the other toppings of your pizza capricciosa.
Pizza Capricciosa
Ingredients
- 10 oz
pizza dough 280 g - 4 tbsp tomato purée (passata) 66 g
- extra virgin olive oil a few drops
- 1 pinch dried oregano
- 1 pinch salt
- 5½ oz fresh mozzarella cheese 150 g
- 1 slice prosciutto cotto cooked ham, about 35 g or 1.2 oz
- 1 medium Italian brown mushroom about 40 g or 1.4 oz
- 15-20 black olives
- 1½ canned artichoke hearts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to the highest heat possible.
- Form a ball from the pizza dough. Start by making a circular motion with the palm of your hand, with some pressure. Then release the pressure gradually until you get a nice ball shape. Put your pizza dough balls on a lightly floured work surface. Dust them with some more flour, and let them proof covered with a kitchen towel for another 15 minutes.
- Shape each dough ball to form a large, thin disk and place it in a pizza pan.
- Put the tomato purée (passata) on top of the pizza dough, in the middle. With a back of a spoon or a ladle, using circular motions towards the edges, make sure the tomato covers your pizza dough. Leave an edge about 1 inch (2-3 cm) thick.
- Drizzle a few drops of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle some dried oregano and salt.
- Add mozzarella cheese. Just tear it in bite size pieces, and place them over the tomato sauce.
- Cut mushrooms into 1/4-1/5 inch (5-6 mm) slices and the artichoke hearts into 8 pieces. Tear your ham into bite-size pieces.
- Put all the toppings on your pizza; ham, mushrooms, artichokes, and olives. It is called capricciosa (capricious) because all these different toppings go all together, so just don't worry shaping them.
- Transfer the pizza capricciosa into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned.
