Pizza capricciosa
The 'whimsical' pizza: tomato and fior di latte under cooked ham, mushrooms, artichoke hearts and black olives, all mixed across the top.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Rest
- 8 hr
- Total
- 8 hr 45 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Capricciosa means whimsical, and this pizza looks like the cook couldn't decide: tomato and fior di latte, then cooked ham, sliced mushrooms, artichoke hearts preserved in oil and black olives, scattered together over the whole surface. The ham is prosciutto cotto, the mild, pink cooked ham Italians use in sandwiches, torn into pieces. Use small artichoke hearts in olive oil, drained and quartered, and slice button mushrooms thinly so they cook through in the oven's few minutes. With so many toppings the danger is a wet, heavy pizza: spread the tomato thinly, drain the mozzarella and don't pile anything up. Done is a pizza with a puffed, blistered rim and a little of everything in each slice: salty ham, earthy mushrooms, tangy artichokes and olives on melted cheese and sweet tomato.
What you'll need
11 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Dough
- Topping
Ingredients
Dough
- Wheat flour, tipo 00300 g
- Water, cool190 ml
- Yeast, fresh, or a pinch of dried1 g
- Salt8 g
Topping
- Plum tomatoes, San Marzano, crushed by hand with a pinch of salt150 g
- Mozzarella, fior di latte, torn and drained150 g
- Ham, prosciutto cotto, torn80 g
- Mushrooms, button mushrooms, thinly sliced100 g
- Artichoke hearts, in olive oil, drained and quartered100 g
- Black olives, Gaeta, pitted40 g
- Olive oil, extra virgin15 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Dissolve the yeast in the water, mix in the flour, then the salt, and knead until smooth. Cover and rise 2 hours, then divide into two balls and rise 6 hours more, or 24 hours in the fridge.
15 min
Step 2
Heat the oven to its highest setting with a steel or upturned tray inside for 40 minutes.
40 min280°C
Step 3
Press each ball out from the centre with your fingers, leaving a thicker rim. Spread thinly with tomato, add the mozzarella, then scatter the ham, mushrooms, artichokes and olives over the whole pizza. Drizzle with oil.
8 min
Step 4
Bake until the rim is puffed and spotted dark and the mushrooms have softened, 7–10 minutes at home, about 90 seconds in a wood oven.
10 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 1079 kcal
- Protein
- 48.4 g
- Carbs
- 126.4 g
- Fat
- 41.3 g
- Saturated fat
- 18.2 g
- Fibre
- 7.6 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 2458 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Milk
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Prosciutto cotto → Good-quality leg ham, off the bone
Mild cooked ham; avoid smoked or honey-glazed ham.
Tips
- Toss the sliced mushrooms with a drop of oil and salt so they don't dry out in the oven.
- Pat the artichokes dry; their oil and brine make the middle soggy.
History & culture
It is one of the most ordered pizzas in Italy, from Naples to Milan. Its sister is the quattro stagioni, the four seasons: the same toppings set out in four separate quarters instead of mixed. Some pizzerias add a halved hard-boiled egg.
The capricciosa has been on Italian pizzeria menus since at least the middle of the twentieth century, and there is no firm record of who first made it or where. Its toppings are the contents of an Italian deli counter of the time: cooked ham, preserved artichokes, olives and mushrooms.
Traditional — Tomato, fior di latte, prosciutto cotto, mushrooms, artichoke hearts and black olives, mixed over the whole pizza.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Pizza capricciosa take?
8 hr 45 min all in — 35 min prep, 10 min cook, 8 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 2 pizzas. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Nut-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Mixing bowl, Oven, Baking tray.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 8 g.
What can I use instead?
Prosciutto cotto → Good-quality leg ham, off the bone. Mild cooked ham; avoid smoked or honey-glazed ham.
Any tips from this recipe?
Toss the sliced mushrooms with a drop of oil and salt so they don't dry out in the oven. Pat the artichokes dry; their oil and brine make the middle soggy.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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