One of my favorite rituals is the twenty minutes I spend in bed chatting with my roommate before we turn out the lights.
Relax — I mean pillow talk.
I’ve been a mild insomniac for years, so bedtime used to feel like something to dread. On bad nights I’d lie awake for hours, watching the minutes tick by and silently bargaining — “If I go to sleep right now, I’ll get six hours, five hours…” Sleeplessness is both tedious and stressful, and the chronic lack of rest has convinced me to invest in some serious eye cream.
Over time I tried everything: warm milk, baths, magnesium, melatonin, random “sleepy” foods, breath work, and even looping long audiobooks. Most things did little or nothing, and a few made matters worse. My doctor always says exercise is the best remedy, but that’s not exactly my specialty.
Sharing a room hasn’t cured my insomnia, but it has changed the act of going to bed. Having someone else around turns the end of the day into something I actually look forward to. My roommate is a warm human heater and an entertaining late-night conversationalist — and when tired, he’s particularly candid. Last week he sleepily suggested I shave my head or wear a swim cap to bed because my hair bothers him when he spoons me. Brilliant suggestions, truly.
We also talk about food before we fall asleep. He follows a bunch of barbecue accounts and often describes weird culinary creations he’s seen online, but more often he offers feedback on meals I’m testing or recipes I’m dreaming up. His commentary is helpful — and distractingly funny — which makes the occasional snoring tolerable.
One of those pillow conversations inspired me to tinker with pizza. After he fell asleep, I lay awake sketching crusts, cheeses and toppings in my head. Several concepts seemed tempting — even a pizza-quesadilla hybrid — but the one that kept calling to me was a simple, personal-sized grilled pita pizza topped with prosciutto, sautéed chanterelles, peppery arugula and a fried egg. I made it the next afternoon, and it was the highlight of my week.
These pita pizzas are perfectly sized for one, and the grilled whole-wheat pita becomes delightfully crisp while staying tender inside. A spicy tomato sauce and melted mozzarella lay the foundation, prosciutto adds salty richness, and sautéed chanterelles bring an earthy, garlicky note. Topped with fresh arugula, a sunny-side up egg and a shave of Parmesan, the finished pizza hits every satisfying contrast: crisp, creamy, salty and peppery. Cut through that egg and let the yolk flow over the pizza — it’s pure magic.
Despite how indulgent this sounds, the pizzas are reasonably healthy and perfectly portioned. Using whole-wheat pitas keeps things fibrous and filling, prosciutto and eggs contribute protein, and the cheese is kept modest. They’re quick to make — under thirty minutes from start to finish — and flexible enough for weeknight dinners or a slightly dressy brunch. Multiply the recipe to feed a crowd; it pairs well with drinks and always earns compliments.
If your insomnia ever drives you into late-night recipe planning, I hope it produces something this good. A little extra eye cream is worth it when the trade-off is a dish you can’t stop thinking about.
Grilled Pita Pizza With Prosciutto, Chanterelles, Arugula and a Fried Egg
Makes: 2 personal pizzas
Ingredients
- 1 cup chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (substitute other mushrooms if needed)
- 3½ teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 4 slices prosciutto di Parma
- 2 whole-wheat pitas (pocket-less works best)
- ½ cup marinara sauce (spicy if you like)
- ½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup baby arugula
- 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Clean chanterelles thoroughly, pat dry and slice.
- Heat 1½ teaspoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chanterelles, minced garlic and a pinch of kosher salt. Sauté about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high. Brush both sides of each pita with olive oil. Grill pitas 3–4 minutes per side until grill marks appear. If you don’t have a grill, brown the pitas in a skillet instead.
- Place grilled pitas on a baking sheet. Spread each with ¼ cup marinara and sprinkle with ¼ cup shredded mozzarella.
- Tear prosciutto into roughly 2-inch pieces and divide it and the sautéed chanterelles evenly between the two pitas.
- Bake the pizzas for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese melts and the prosciutto edges begin to crisp.
- While the pizzas bake, fry the eggs: heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium. Crack eggs into the pan and cook 3–4 minutes, until whites set but yolks remain runny. Cook longer if you prefer firm yolks.
- Remove pizzas from the oven. Top each with ½ cup baby arugula, a fried egg, a sprinkle of shaved Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Serve immediately.
The combination of crisp, warm pita, savory prosciutto, earthy mushrooms and a runny egg is simple but extraordinary. These pizzas are fast, adaptable and perfect for sharing or keeping all to yourself.
More pizza ideas
For inspiration, I’ve been enjoying a wide variety of pizza styles from other home cooks and food blogs, including gluten-free crusts, taco-inspired toppings, no-yeast doughs, skillet pizzas, polenta bases, and creative sauce-free options. If you love pizza as much as I do, try experimenting with different crusts, cheeses and finishing greens — each change can make a familiar dish feel new.
I’m thrilled to be part of a Comfort Food celebration this week and proud to share this pizza recipe. Happy cooking — and may your late-night musings yield delicious results.