Caramelized Onion, Fig, and Goat Cheese Pizza
You'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't like at least one kind of pizza. It is, after all, a nearly perfect food. Sweet? Savory? Sweet AND Savory? Pizza can do that. The word pizza might get thrown around a lot and put on a lot of things, but it can mean anything that has 1) crust 2) sauce 3) stuff on top. Even cheese is negotiable. There's no reason you can't get creative and experiment with new ways to get your favorite foods in you and have a happy belly.
For this recipe, we opted to make our own crust rather than use a store-bought option. Our crust uses just a little cornmeal and was on the thinner side so it had a pleasant amount of crunch, but you could opt for something chewier with a Cauliflower Crust. If you've never tried figs and balsamic reduction before, buckle up. It's going to blow your mind. The combination of figs and balsamic vinegar deliver flavors that are so complex and rich, it's worth the effort it takes to seek out figs in your grocery store. We complemented this duo with our Herbs de Provence seasoning blend, and our taste testers were able to experience the balance that this blend's gorgeous herbaceousness brings to figgy sweetness and the deep syrup-y flavor of a balsamic reduction.
This is a dish that might take a little more attention than your average weeknight meal. The steps require specific timing; while this recipe is not necessarily fool-proof, it can leave you with a sense of accomplishment and celebration when it's done. With Caramelized Onion, Fig, and Goat Cheese Pizza, we took the idea of one of our favorite dishes and asked ourselves how we can make it more refined and luxurious? How can we turn it into a sophisticated indulgence? The invention of "pizza" as we consider it today is often attributed to the working-class Neapolitans in the 18th century, street food meant to be eaten quickly on the way home from work. But, like any item that spends time in the cultural biosphere, it evolves. This isn't a pizza you'd want to eat mindlessly. Take some time to sit back and enjoy your creation. This is our invitation to put some music on, pour yourself something you like to drink (Maybe a little wine? Some kombucha? A nice bottle of mineral water?) and have fun with it!
- For Crust:
- ½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour
- ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
- ¾ Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk - heated to 115F
- 2 tsp Honey
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Packet Instant Dry Yeast - 2 ¼ tsp
- 2 tsp Cornmeal
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- For Toppings:
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 Vidalia Onion, sliced thin
- 2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
- 6-8 fresh figs, trimmed and quartered
- 5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup fresh arugula
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- In a mixing bowl, combine almond milk, honey, olive oil, and yeast. Whisk together well, and let yeast foam and bubble. It will take just a few minutes.
- After yeast has activated, add flour, cornmeal, and salt and mix together with a spoon. Using dough hooks on an electric mixer, knead for approximately 8 minutes or so on medium. Dough will form into a ball and be smooth and slightly sticky. Place dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rest for 1 hour in a warm area.
- While dough is rising, reduce the vinegar by half. In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup balsamic vinegar and 2 tsp Herbs de Provence and reduce by half on a medium-low setting.
- In a skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil to medium and add onions. Let caramelize on a low setting. Stir occasionally.
- Heat oven to 450F. If using a pizza stone, place that in there at the same time. If using a pizza pan, grease it lightly.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to desired size. Place on pizza stone, or pan. Brush lightly with olive oil, and poke a few holes in the dough with a toothpick. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Spread caramelized onions, goat cheese, and figs over pizza. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, and bake for 7-10 more minutes.
- Remove pizza from oven and top with arugula. Drizzle balsamic reduction over the top.
- Slice pizza and serve!
