So fresh and so clean…

On a recent adventure to my local market I was struck with inspiration. I was perusing the fruit section and saw something new, something different then the berries, grapes, and peaches that have been present all summer long. I saw fresh figs, yum!

Now, I will admit this, typically if I experience figs it’s usually in the form of fig preserves/jam, I honestly can’t remember a time that I’ve actually eaten fresh figs so I thought to myself “why not?” As soon as I put them in my shopping cart I immediately started searching the internet for any fig recipe I could find, I found tons of recipes that called for the figs to be made into a jam to then be used in baked goods or spread on breads for sandwiches but I wanted to experience them in their more natural state. After what felt like an eternity (probably 5 minutes, but that feels like a long time when you’re just standing there in the fruit section of the market on your phone) I finally found various pizza recipes. PERFECT! I looked at a few different recipes and synthesized my own; fig, goat cheese, and arugula pizza. MMM mmmm good.

This pizza has everything; the sweetness of the caramelized onions and figs, paired with the tanginess of the goat cheese and fig vinegar, then supported by the peppery fresh arugula, and then backed by the saltiness of the prosciutto and shredded parmesan just creates such complex harmonious flavors in every bite, aka food heaven. Enjoy!

Fig Goat Cheese and Arugula Pizza

Yields: 1 Medium Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ball of pizza dough (either buy a ball of dough from your market or you can use half  of my wheat pizza dough recipe)
• 4 oz. Goat Cheese
• 1/2 Thinly Sliced Yellow Sweet Onion
• 1/3 lb. Thinly Shaved Prosciutto
• 4-5 Fresh Figs, Sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 1/4 Cup Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Cup Fresh Arugula
• 1/2 Tb Granulated Organic Sugar
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Dried Italian Seasonings
• 1 Tb Fig Vinegar
• 4 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Knead dough and spin in the air with hands gently to create a large circle. Place on floured surface and roll out to desired size
3. Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat, place onions in pan once hot
4. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar over onions and cook for 10-12 minutes (until browned)
5. While onions are cooking brush olive oil over both sides of dough, then sprinkle with italian seasonings and a pinch of salt and pepper
6. Bake pizza dough in oven for 12-15, flip once
7. Once finished pre-baking dough take out of the oven and sprinkle caramelized onions, goat cheese, and figs generously on the crust. Bake for 10 minutes
8. While pizza is baking, put sauté pan used for onions back over the burner and set to medium high heat. Tear up prosciutto with fingers and crisp in pan. (Should take no more than 5 minutes)
9. Once pizza is finished baking top with prosciutto, arugula, and shredded parmesan cheese. Drizzle a a little olive oil and fig vinegar on top then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.