The Briny Lemon: Flatbread Pizza with Capicola and Goat Cheese

The Italian cold cut—or salume—called capicola (also capocollo) is made from dry-cured pork shoulder or neck, typically coated in either black pepper (“sweet” capicola) or hot red pepper powder or paprika (“spicy” capicola). Unlike other types of salami or prosciutto, capicola is often used like lunchmeat on sandwiches, similar to ham slices. And like ham, salami, or prosciutto, capicola makes a great pizza topping as well.

Sometimes I like using store-bought flatbreads for pizza-style dishes, but this time I decided to go even flatter with extra-thin sourdough wraps as a base for the toppings. Wraps are usually only about one-tenth-inch thick, and that means two important things when you use them as pizza “dough”: few toppings and quick baking.

Sourdough Flatbread Wraps

Keep the toppings to a few flavorful—and thinly cut—items and keep an eye on the flatbreads while baking. When the crust begins to brown and turn crispy around the edges, they’re done.

Also check out Flatbread Pizza Margherita, Pizza with Prosciutto, Red Onion, and Fresh Tomatoes, and Pancetta Pizza with Olives, Dates, and Leek.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

2 9- to 10-inch-diameter sourdough flatbreads
olive oil, for brushing
4-oz herb (or plain) goat cheese log, cut into thin pieces
2 large roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 oz thinly sliced capicola, cut into 1/2-inch-wide ribbons
1/2 cup thinly sliced black olives
sea salt
1/4 cup small flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp torn fresh basil leaves

Flatbread Toppings

Prepped Toppings

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Lay a triple-layer of parchment paper on a work surface and place the flatbreads on it. Brush with olive oil.
Divide the goat cheese slices on the flatbreads and top with tomato slices. Divide the capicola on top of the tomatoes, folding the ribbons as needed. Scatter olives over all.
Bake until the edges are browned and crispy and the cheese has melted, 6-7 minutes.