Growing up we had a huge fig tree in our backyard. I though figs were disgusting until I was about 17. The first time I had proper prosciutto was last summer, while working at Cefalicchio. It goes without saying that this is a new combination for me. My roommate, Mallika, came home from a meal at the nearby, Ironside, raving about this fig and prosciutto pizza she had there. Figs are in season. I was having some friends over for dinner - and so this pizza worked it's way onto the menu. I didn't have the exact ingredients, but I reckon this combination is so good that it is difficult to mess up.
Fig & Prosciutto Pizza
Ingredients:
1 whole wheat dough
8 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
6 fresh purple figs
balsamic vinegar
2-3 ounces Prosciutto
1 handful fresh arugula
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle cornmeal on baking pan. Place rolled out dough on pan. Poke holes all over the place with a fork. Drizzle dough with olive oil. Bake for about 7-9 minutes. This is just the pre-bake to firm up the dough and get it prepped.
3. While dough is baking, slice the figs into 1/2-1" slices. Place in a bowl and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Flip the fig slices with a fork or butter knife to coat with the balsamic vinegar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
4. When crust is pre-baked with pockets of golden loveliness. Sprinkle ALL the Gorgonzola on the crust. Layer the prosciutto on the cheese. Then place the fig slices on top. Bake for 7ish minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, place fresh arugula on top. Slice and serve with a glass of red wine and Van Morrison playing in the background.
Van Morrison's 'Into the Mystic'
We were born before the wind
Also younger than the sun
Ere the bonnie boat was won
As we sailed into the mystic
