Sweet basil pesto, charred thin-sliced ham, rich shiitake mushrooms, yellow onion, sweet leeks, garlic, a touch of Aleppo pepper, bright and earthy artichokes, and nutty Italian cheeses are baked on chewy roasted garlic naan or flatbread to crispy, melty perfection. Finished with sweet & tangy white balsamic and fresh basil, with an optional touch of truffle.
I’m sure I’ve made the favorite claim with multiple other versions of flatbread pizza… But I have to say, this harmonious blend of earthy, savory, smoky, charred, sweet, salty, and tangy flavors combined with crisp and chewy roasted garlic naan is tough to beat. It feels bright and fresh while at the same time hearty, melty and satisfying. It also celebrates some of the best flavors of spring with basil, leeks, mushrooms, and artichokes.
Per usual, high-quality ingredients are crucial for the best results. There are a few shortcuts, though, that can maintain optimal flavor while making your life a little easier, which I’ve detailed below.
The Crust
Naan/Flatbread
For a crispy, chewy, satisfying, flavor-loaded pizza crust that doesn’t involve the hassle of making pizza dough, store-bought naan is my go-to. In fact, naan flatbread pizza shows up on my dinner rotation way more than traditional pizza with scratch-made dough. The quality and taste for time and effort makes naan pizza a weeknight winner. I especially love Stonefire Roasted Garlic Naan (which I also use as a dinner bread and a toast for spreads and dips).
For the best crisp on the bottom, I recommend cooking naan/flatbread pizza on a pizza pan with holes (aka perforated pizza pan). With my method, you first add the sauce, crisp meat, and sautéed veggies to the naan and cook at 450ºF for 8 minutes. Then add the cheese and finish at 425ºF for 4-5 minutes. This allows you to get a beautiful char on your meat and veggies, slightly dry out the toppings to avoid a soggy crust, and maximize the crisp on the bottom without burning or drying out your cheese. It’s my secret to optimal crispiness and meltiness.
Pizza Dough
If you opt for a traditional pizza dough version, simply use the toppings listed in the recipe (taking care not to overload the dough), but follow the instructions for the dough and equipment you’re using. I recommend cooking pizza dough on a preheated pizza stone at very high heat (475 – 550ºF). Here is my dough recipe with pizza stone baking tips, including my fool-proof parchment paper method.
The Toppings
- Basil pesto – Use a quality jarred pesto or make your own. For a fun twist, try a pistachio pesto.
- Ham – I use thinly sliced black forest ham (freshly sliced from the deli >>>> pre-packaged), which I tear and quickly sear in a skillet until lightly browned before putting it on the pizza. I love the crisp, meaty, smoky, salty bite that it adds, not to mention the ease of preparing it. You may also sub bacon, pancetta, Italian sausage (cooked until brown and crisp and placed on the pizza before baking), or prosciutto (uncooked and placed on the pizza after baking).
- Yellow onion, leeks, shiitake mushrooms, garlic – A lovely seasonal blend of sweet, earthy, umami-rich, aromatic veggies with hearty texture from the mushrooms to take the pie up a notch. After browning the meat, sear the veggies in the hot skillet and sauté until crisp-tender. Season with sea salt, black pepper, and Aleppo pepper for a touch of sweet heat, if desired. Deglaze with white wine to incorporate the rich flavor from all the yummy browned bits in the pan. To minimize moisture levels on the pizza, slice the veggies very thin and do not over-crowd the pan.
- Artichokes – The superstar of the pizza, in my opinion. For ease, I use jarred artichoke hearts. Drain well and slice thin to avoid excess moisture on the pizza.
- Cheeses – Use a creamy, nutty, semi-soft cheese that’s good for melting such as fontina. I also like to incorporate semi-soft smoked goat cheese and/or truffle gouda for added complexity. You may also add a finely shredded aged cheese like parmigiano-reggiano.
- White Balsamic – A finishing drizzle of quality white balsamic adds a delicate, lightly tangy, sweet brightness that enhances the other flavors.
- Truffle – To add a kiss of truffle flavor, either incorporate a truffle cheese (like creamy truffle gouda or indulgent Moliterno al Tartufo) into your cheese blend, or finish the pie with a drizzle of truffle oil. Totally optional, but if available, the truffle adds a deep level of richness and indulgence that tastes heavenly with the flavors of this pizza.
Pesto, Ham, & Artichoke Naan Pizza
Sweet basil pesto, charred thin-sliced ham, rich shiitake mushrooms, yellow onion, sweet leeks, garlic, a touch of Aleppo pepper, bright and earthy artichokes, and nutty Italian cheeses are baked on chewy roasted garlic naan or flatbread to crispy, melty perfection. Finished with sweet & tangy white balsamic and fresh basil, with an optional touch of truffle.
Notes
This recipe uses pre-cooked naan for the crust and makes 2 personal-sized flatbread pizzas. See this post for a homemade dough recipe and tips for cooking with a pizza stone.
Ingredients
- 2 cooked naan flatbreads (126g each) (such as Stonefire Roasted Garlic)
- 2 Tbsp basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 3 oz thinly sliced black forest ham (can sub pancetta or bacon, cooked before adding to the unbaked pizza, or prosciutto, uncooked and placed on top of the pizza at the end)
- 1/2 - 1 tsp butter or olive oil, for sautéing
- 3-4 oz shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
- ~1/4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
- ~1/4 cup roughly chopped leek
- sea salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1-2 tsp white wine or water, for deglazing the pan
- 3 oz freshly shredded semi-soft cheese such as fontina, mozzarella, smoked goat, and/or truffle gouda
- finely shredded aged cheese such as parmigiano-reggiano or moliterno al tartufo, to taste (optional)
- 2 tsp quality white balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 tsp truffle-infused oil (optional)
- chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
- Heat a medium to large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Roughly tear ham, place in the skillet, and sear about a minute per side, until lightly browned. Set aside.
- Lightly grease the hot skillet with butter or olive oil. Add sliced mushrooms, onion, and leek. Spread out the veggies in the pan as much as possible to get the best sear and minimize the amount of retained moisture. Stir in a pinch of sea salt, black pepper, and Aleppo or red pepper flakes, to taste. Sauté over medium-high heat until lightly charred. Stir in minced garlic and cook another minute. Add a light splash of white wine or water to deglaze the pan while scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until mushrooms and onions are tender and liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
- Place 2 naan flatbreads on a perforated pizza pan. Spread with pesto. Evenly distribute ham and cooked vegetables over the pesto (hold the cheese for now).
- Bake at 450ºF for 8 minutes. Quickly remove pizzas from oven, sprinkle cheeses evenly over the toppings, then return pizzas to the oven.
- Reduce heat to 425ºF. Bake about 4-5 minutes longer, or until crust is crispy and cheese starts to bubble.
- Remove pizzas from the oven. Drizzle with white balsamic. If using, drizzle with truffle oil. Garnish with fresh basil.
- Transfer to cutting board, slice, and serve immediately. Reheat in the oven on the perforated pizza pan as needed for further crisping.