Disclosure: As a DaVinci Storyteller, I was provided an all-inclusive trip to Tuscany. All opinions and recipes are my own.

Some experiences leave you searching for words because a list of impressions—green, pastoral, people, vistas, history, food, wine, architecture, art—still can’t capture the feeling. My late-September DaVinci Storyteller trip to Tuscany was exactly that: vivid, layered, and unforgettable. Instead of trying to summarize it in one tidy paragraph, I’ll share a culinary memory inspired by the trip: Figgy Pig Pizza — a Tuscan-style pie topped with prosciutto, fig jam, and fresh greens. It’s a beautiful balance of salty and sweet, and it brought the flavors of Tuscany right to our table.

During our stay at Casale di Valle, Chef Franco Venturini and his assistant Engjellushe taught us how to make authentic Italian pizza dough and how to bake pizzas in a wood-fired oven. They guided us through every step and helped us cook our pizzas to blistered, bubbly perfection.

Eating those pizzas in the courtyard of a 16th-century hunting lodge while sipping DaVinci Chianti felt impossibly cinematic: a view of rolling vineyards, olive groves, and cypress trees; the warm glow of the oven; and the company of fellow storytellers. The bright plum and blackberry notes and lively acidity of the Chianti were the ideal complement to the pizza’s flavors.

My fellow Storytellers—Brandon, Molly, and Alana—joined me in a virtual pizza party to celebrate this remarkable trip. Each created their own inspired pizza, and their pies are featured at the end of this post as a delicious reminder of our time together.

Cook’s Notes

I include the pizza dough method taught by Chef Franco and Engjellushe, but store-bought dough works well if you prefer a quicker approach. Note that 00 flour absorbs water differently than all-purpose or bread flour, so adjust the water slightly if you substitute flours.
Preheat your oven fully—ideally with a pizza stone or steel—before launching the pizza. If the stone is not hot enough, the pizza won’t cook in the expected time.
Check for sticking as you assemble the pizza. Give the peel a gentle shake front to back; if the dough doesn’t move freely, lift the sticking area and add a bit more cornmeal or semolina underneath before continuing. This prevents the pizza from tearing or flipping when you transfer it to the oven.
This pizza uses a restrained amount of toppings by design. Fewer, well-chosen ingredients allow each flavor to shine and help the crust cook evenly without getting soggy.

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Figgy Pig Pizza - Tuscan Style Prosciutto, fig jam, and greens pizza

Figgy Pig Pizza – Tuscan Style Prosciutto, Fig, Greens Pizza

Rebecca Lindamood

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Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough (yields 1 pizza):

300 grams (about 11 ounces) “00” Italian-style flour or high-gluten/bread flour
Rounded 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 to 3/4 cup tepid water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Cornmeal or semolina to prevent sticking

For the Figgy Pig Pizza:

One batch of pizza dough
6 slices prosciutto, divided
1/3 cup fig jam or preserves
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
1/2 cup fresh whole milk mozzarella
Freshly ground black pepper and coarse sea salt, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Fresh arugula or mixed salad greens (preferably including arugula)
Parmesan curls (shaved from a block with a vegetable peeler)

Instructions

To Make the Pizza Dough:

Add the flour to a medium bowl and form a well in the center. In a separate small bowl, mix the yeast, sugar, and 1/2 cup tepid water. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and drizzle the olive oil around the edges. Mix with your hands in a circular motion until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough needs more liquid, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it comes together. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Form a tight ball, place smooth side up in the mixing bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise 2 to 3 hours in a warm, draft-free spot.

To Make the Pizza:

Preheat the oven to 525°F (or as hot as your oven allows) with a pizza stone or steel on the center rack. Dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina.
Flour your work surface lightly and roll the dough very thin. Transfer to the peel and shake gently to confirm it isn’t sticking. If it sticks, lift the area, add more cornmeal or semolina, and continue.
Tear two slices of prosciutto into bite-sized pieces and scatter across the dough. Dollop fig jam in small teaspoons across the surface. Add small spoonfuls of ricotta, then pull thumb-sized pieces of fresh mozzarella and distribute evenly. Grind fresh black pepper, sprinkle coarse sea salt, and drizzle with olive oil. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake 6 to 10 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove the pizza to a cutting board and cool about 8 minutes. Slice the remaining prosciutto into thin strips. Top the pizza with the fresh mixed greens, prosciutto strips, and parmesan curls. Add another pinch of coarse sea salt if desired, slice, and serve.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred calculator.