[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Stef and James of the FitRV whipped up a non-traditional pizza for a light and flavorful lunch. A portable pizza oven made for a crisp crust and hopefully happy judges on the The Great American Cookoff.
Tools:
Ingredients for Pizza Crust:
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 cups flour (half whole wheat and half white)
Instructions for Pizza Crust:
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix everything but the flour. Add the flour gradually until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The exact flour amount will vary so go by the touch and feel of the dough versus the exact cup measurements in the recipe. The dough should be soft and smooth, but not super stiff, either.
- Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes (double that if kneading by hand). Let the dough rest, covered, for at least 10 minutes (but 30 is better).
- When toppings are ready (see below), shape the dough into pizza(s), getting it very thin. A rolling pin helps.
Ingredients for Pizza Sauce:
- ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tsp honey
- 1.5 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- Salt and pepper
1. Mix all together and spread on the dough when ready.
Ingredients for the Pizza Toppings:
- 2 very ripe pears
- 1 red onion
- prosciutto
- walnuts
- gruyere cheese
- smoked gouda cheese
- gorgonzola cheese
- arugula
Instructions for Pizza Assembly
1. Slice and grill the pear slices, keeping them thick enough so they will hold up on the grill. They grill quickly, only needing about a minute per side, or whenever you see grill marks.
2. Saute the red onions lightly in olive oil.
3. Cheese prep: Grate the gouda and gruyere, and then add half of each to the pizza, reserving the other half for the very top of the pizza. Go very light on the gorgonzola.
4. Top the pizza with the grilled onions, prosciutto, walnuts, arugula, and grilled pears. Do more arugula than it seems because it cooks down. Go light on all the cheeses. Use lots of pears!
5. Spread the pizza dough circles with sauce and toppings, and bake at 475 or 500 degrees on a preheated pizza stone or on a lightly greased baking sheet for 8-10 minutes.