Carolyn makes awesome macaroni and cheese, which is great alongside a nice “on sale” ham. Personally, I like stewed tomatoes on top, kind of old school I guess! See our Jalapeno Mac and Cheese with Ham recipe. We like to add Mac and Cheese leftovers to our “classic” Napoli style pizza, along with fresh spinach and mushrooms. This is one of the recipes in Bob Johnson’s new cookbook, The Left Over Ranch Cookbook: Memories on a Plate in the Hamamania chapter.

Bob Johnson

Ham Mac and Cheese Pizza

Leftover mac and cheese and ham bits find a delicious second life on this Napoli-style pizza with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh spinach, and mushrooms. A creative and satisfying way to make sure nothing goes to waste.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 14

Total Time 34

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

12 oz pizza dough
12 oz peeled San Marzano tomatoes lightly crushed
6-8 oz leftover mac and cheese
5 oz left over ham pieces
2 good handfuls fresh baby spinach
4 oz mushrooms sliced
2 tbsp good olive oil
Semolina flour for dusting

Equipment

Pizza steel, pizza stone or cast iron pizza pan
Pizza peel

Method

Make the dough or use store bought, about 12 ounces is required for a 13-inch pizza. Roll out the dough, then place on a peel sprinkled with semolina. Heat oven to 450 °F and allow pizza steel (or stone) to heat for at least 30 minutes, while preparing the pizza.
Spread the San Marzano tomatoes around the crust to cover, then add the spinach, followed by the mushrooms, and finally drop on the mac and cheese and ham pieces. Place on pizza steel (or stone) and bake for about 12-14 minutes, turning 90 degrees a couple times as it cooks, until the top of the cheese begins to brown.
Once browned remove from the oven and allow to sit for several minutes, drizzle on the olive oil, cut into pieces and serve.

Notes

A pizza steel, stone or cast iron pizza pan is essential here, it mimics the floor of a wood fired oven and gives you a crispy bottom crust that a regular baking pan simply cannot achieve. Don't rush the 30 minute preheat. The semolina flour on the peel is also important, it acts like tiny ball bearings and helps the pizza slide cleanly onto the steel. Our Jalapeño Mac and Cheese with Ham works perfectly as the leftover base for this pizza. This recipe appears in the Hamamania chapter of The Left Over Ranch Cookbook.

A Note on Pizza Dough: This recipe calls for about 12 oz of pizza dough. Store bought dough works perfectly and is available at most grocery stores. If you’d like to make your own, Bob recommends Chef Rider’s Quick and Easy Pizza Crust from AllRecipes, it’s simple, reliable, and delicious.