Looking for an easy date-night stunner? Need something new to rev up the weeknight dinner doldrums? This fig and prosciutto pizza is simple yet sophisticated, full of flavor, and guaranteed to please.
As anyone in the cheese tasting world will tell you, figs and brie are like peanut butter and jelly. They just belong together. Here, in my pizza version of the classic fig and brie pairing, I add torn prosciutto for a punch of umami, peppery arugula to balance the richness, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze to bring it all together. The finished pizza is at once satisfying and elegant, luxurious and light. And the best part? It's super simple to make!
If fresh figs are in season where you live, yippee for you! Ignore step 2, slice them up, and arrange them on the pizza in step 5. However, if you're like me and have a hard time finding fresh figs, even when they're supposed to be in season, you'll appreciate the hack of plumping up dried figs in boiling water. (I actually think the dried fruit is better than fresh in this recipe, since its flavor is more concentrated and its texture is pleasingly chewy.)
Another important note: Make sure you taste the brie before you bake it on the pizza. Any cheese labeled "brie" will work in this recipe, but some are more pungent than others.
Fig, Prosciutto, and Brie Pizza
Equipment
- Cutting board and knife
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- pastry brush
- Pizza peel (optional)
Ingredients
- 8 dried figs
- Boiling water
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 to 6 ounces brie cheese, cut into thin slices
- 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces
- 1 handful baby arugula
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone/steel in the bottom third of the oven before you start preheating). Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes. Then, if you’re using a baking stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
- Place the figs in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let the figs steep for 10 minutes, then drain well, pat the figs dry, and cut them into thin slices.
- In a small saucepan, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the vinegar has reduced by half and has thickened to a syrupy consistency. (It should coat the back of a spoon.) Pour the glaze into a ramekin and set aside.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle, then transfer it to a baking sheet / pizza pan or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Drizzle the dough lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, and use a pastry brush to spread it all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then top with the brie slices, torn prosciutto, and sliced figs.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned in spots—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 6 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- Remove the pizza from the oven. Top with the arugula, season with a pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper, and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Slice and serve.
Feeling inspired? Here are some more date-night recipes like Fig and Prosciutto Pizza to add to your list:
Leave a Reply