Serves 4 as dinner or 8 cut into pieces
These thin, elongated flatbreads, which we’re calling pizza crackers, topped with potato and prosciutto, are inspired by Italian lingue pizzas (lingue means “tongue’’ in Italian). They’re ideal for snacking, a light lunch, or serving with an aperitif. Although the pizzas are sometimes made with a simple dough of flour, water, and salt, and brushed with a light layer of tomato sauce, this homemade overnight pizza dough (with yeast) has a lot more flavor. Just mix the ingredients and set the dough aside at room temperature to rise for 8 to 12 hours. No kneading or heavy lifting necessary. You can also buy a one-pound piece of dough at the market. The keyword here is thin. Roll the dough thinly, slice potatoes and shallots thinly on a mandoline or take your time and slice them thinly with a sharp chef’s knife. Prosciutto, of course, comes thinly sliced. They all go onto the long pieces of dough with a little olive oil, baked on a low shelf in the oven (you can use a pizza stone if you have one), and then briefly crisped under the broiler to char the edges a little. The crackly pizzas are crunchy, salty, and irresistible.
DOUGH
2½ cups flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon instant yeast (not rapid rise)
¾ cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, and yeast until blended. Make a well in the center and add the water and olive oil. Mix with your hands or a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature to rise for 8 to 12 hours, or until at least doubled in bulk.
TOPPING
Extra flour (for sprinkling)
¼ cup olive oil, or more if needed
2 medium Yukon Gold or other yellow potatoes, thinly sliced on a mandoline or with a chef’s knife (keep slices in a bowl of water)
Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling)
2 large shallots, thinly sliced on a mandoline or with a chef’s knife
4 ounces prosciutto, torn into pieces
Black pepper, to taste
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed
1. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element. Set another oven rack at the lowest position. If you have a baking stone, place it on the bottom rack. Set the oven at 500 degrees.
2. Turn the dough out onto a floured work counter. Divide it into 4 equal pieces. Dimple the pieces with your fingertips to flatten them into an oblong shape. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
3. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece of dough into a 12-by-5-inch oblong. The dough should be almost transparent. If it snaps back, set it aside for a few minutes to rest, then roll again. Place 2 pieces on each baking sheet and brush with oil.
4. Spread a clean kitchen towel on the counter. With your hands, lift the potatoes out of the water and spread them on the towel. Cover them with another towel and pat dry. Divide the potatoes among the 4 pieces of dough, overlapping the slices. Sprinkle with olive oil and a few pinches of flaky salt.
5. Spread the shallots on top, then add the prosciutto. Sprinkle with more olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper.
6. Bake 1 sheet of the pizzas at a time. Place a sheet on the lowest oven rack. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn on the broiler. Set the sheet on the top oven rack and broil for 1 to 1½ minutes, watching them carefully, or until the potato edges are a little charred and the prosciutto is crispy. Remove the pan from the oven. Turn the oven down to 500 degrees and bake the other sheet in the same way.
7. Sprinkle the pizzas with rosemary. Serve 1 per person or cut each pizza into 4 slices to serve 8 as an hors d’oeuvre or appetizer.
Sally Pasley Vargas
