White Pizza Capricciosa With Ham and Artichokes

Imperial June 3, 2026June 3, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 1 large 14-inch pizza, 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 45 minutes dough rest
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Quick Ingredients

1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for dusting
1 tablespoon semolina flour or cornmeal, for the peel
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for mushrooms
1 large garlic clove, finely grated or minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus 1 pinch for mushrooms
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to finish
1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta
6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup drained artichoke hearts, quartered and patted dry
1/3 cup pitted black or green olives, halved
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional

Do This

1. Let the dough sit covered at room temperature for 45 minutes while a pizza stone or steel preheats at 500°F.
2. Sauté the sliced mushrooms in 1 teaspoon olive oil with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes, then cool slightly.
3. Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil with garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper; stir 1 teaspoon of that oil into the ricotta.
4. Stretch the dough into a 14-inch round on a floured surface and move it to a semolina-dusted peel or inverted baking sheet.
5. Brush with garlic oil, then add mozzarella, ham, mushrooms, artichokes, olives, ricotta dollops, and Parmesan.
6. Bake at 500°F for 10 minutes, rotating once after 6 minutes, until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling.
7. Rest for 3 minutes, finish with herbs and black pepper, then slice into 8 pieces.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

All the classic Capricciosa toppings, no tomato sauce: You still get the salty ham, earthy mushrooms, briny olives, and tender artichokes, but on a creamy white base.
Big flavor without fuss: Garlic oil, mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan create a rich but balanced pizza with very little prep.
Home-oven friendly: The mushrooms are quickly cooked first, so the crust stays crisp instead of turning soggy.
Flexible and forgiving: Use store-bought dough, swap the olives, or make it spicy with chili flakes.

Grocery List

Produce: cremini mushrooms, garlic, fresh parsley or basil.
Dairy: low-moisture mozzarella, whole-milk ricotta, Parmesan cheese.
Meat & Deli: thinly sliced cooked ham or prosciutto cotto.
Pantry: pizza dough, extra-virgin olive oil, dried oregano, all-purpose flour, semolina flour or cornmeal, artichoke hearts, pitted olives, fine sea salt, black pepper.

Full Ingredients

For the Dough and Pan

1 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought, rested at room temperature for 45 minutes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface
1 tablespoon semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel or inverted baking sheet

For the White Garlic Base

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, finely grated or very finely minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta, at room temperature

For the Capricciosa Toppings

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, for cooking the mushrooms
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 pinch fine sea salt, for the mushrooms
6 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded
4 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham or prosciutto cotto, torn into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup drained artichoke hearts, quartered and patted very dry
1/3 cup pitted black or green olives, halved
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional, for finishing
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste, for finishing

White Pizza Capricciosa With Ham and Artichokes – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Warm the dough and preheat the oven

Place the pizza dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes. This makes the dough easier to stretch and helps it bake with a better rise. Put a pizza stone or baking steel on the upper-middle rack of the oven and preheat to 500°F for the full 45 minutes. A very hot surface is the key to a crisp bottom crust.

If you do not have a stone or steel, place a heavy rimmed baking sheet upside down on the upper-middle rack while the oven heats. The pizza will still be delicious, though the crust may be a little less blistered.

Step 2: Cook the mushrooms

Heat 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and 1 pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown at the edges. Transfer them to a plate and let them cool for at least 5 minutes while you prepare the other toppings.

This quick step matters because raw mushrooms give off water in the oven. Cooking them first keeps the pizza from becoming wet in the center.

Step 3: Make the white garlic base

In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, the finely grated garlic, dried oregano, 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Spoon 1 teaspoon of this garlic oil into the ricotta and stir until smooth and spreadable. Keep the remaining garlic oil for brushing over the dough.

This creates the white Capricciosa base: flavorful, creamy, and aromatic, but still lighter than a heavy cream sauce.

Step 4: Prepare the toppings

Pat the artichoke hearts very dry with paper towels and quarter them if they are large. Halve the olives. Tear the ham into bite-size pieces so it distributes evenly across the pizza. Shred the mozzarella if it is not already shredded, and keep all toppings close by before shaping the dough.

For the best texture, avoid piling the wettest toppings in the very center of the pizza. Spreading everything evenly helps the crust bake properly.

Step 5: Shape the pizza dough

Lightly flour your work surface with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour. Press the dough into a flat round, then gently stretch it into a 14-inch circle, leaving a slightly thicker 1/2-inch rim around the edge. If the dough springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching.

Dust a pizza peel or the back of an inverted baking sheet with 1 tablespoon semolina flour or cornmeal. Transfer the stretched dough onto it and gently shake to make sure the dough can slide. If it sticks, lift the edge and add a little more semolina or cornmeal underneath.

Step 6: Add the white base and toppings

Brush the stretched dough with the remaining garlic oil, leaving the raised rim mostly bare so it can brown nicely. Sprinkle on about three-quarters of the shredded mozzarella. Arrange the ham, cooked mushrooms, artichokes, and olives evenly over the cheese. Add the remaining mozzarella, then spoon small dollops of the seasoned ricotta across the top. Finish with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan.

Try to keep the toppings in a single, even layer. Capricciosa is meant to be generous, but a crowded pizza will steam instead of crisp.

Step 7: Bake the pizza

Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 500°F for 10 minutes, rotating the pizza after 6 minutes for even browning. The pizza is ready when the rim is puffed and browned, the bottom is crisp, the mozzarella is melted, and the ham and mushrooms have lightly toasted edges.

If your oven runs cool and the crust still looks pale after 10 minutes, bake for 1 additional minute. Watch closely during that final minute so the cheese does not overbrown.

Step 8: Rest, finish, and slice

Transfer the pizza to a wooden board and let it rest for 3 minutes. This short pause helps the cheese settle so the slices hold together. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or basil if using, add a few grinds of black pepper, and slice into 8 pieces. Serve warm.

Pro Tips

Use low-moisture mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella releases more liquid, which can make a loaded white pizza soggy.
Pat the artichokes dry: Artichoke hearts are delicious here, but excess brine or oil will soften the crust.
Do not skip the oven preheat: A pizza stone or steel needs a full 45 minutes at 500°F to store enough heat for a crisp base.
Keep the center lighter: Put slightly more toppings toward the outer two-thirds of the pizza and a little less in the middle.
Slice after resting: Waiting 3 minutes prevents the cheese and ricotta from sliding off when cut.

Variations

Spicy Bianca Capricciosa: Add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the garlic oil, or finish the baked pizza with a drizzle of chili oil.
Vegetarian Capricciosa Bianca: Skip the ham and add 1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers or 1/3 cup sautéed spinach, squeezed dry.
Extra-savory version: Replace 1 ounce of the ham with 1 ounce thinly sliced prosciutto, added after baking so it stays tender.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover pizza slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 375°F for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and the cheese is warm. To freeze, wrap cooled slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months; reheat from frozen at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

To make prep easier, cook the mushrooms, drain and dry the artichokes, halve the olives, shred the mozzarella, and mix the garlic oil up to 24 hours ahead. Keep everything refrigerated in separate containers. Bring the dough to room temperature for 45 minutes before shaping.

Nutrition (per serving)