but it will redefine the way you think of pizza.

chewy figs, salty prosciutto, tangy gorgonzola, topped with a SALAD of peppery arugula & delicious vinaigrette…..

sounds unusual, but it works oh. so. well.

adapted from the way the cookie crumbles

8 dried figs, finely sliced (more or less, depending on their size)
1/2 cup sweet sherry
cornmeal (for pizza transfer)
12 oz whole wheat pizza dough
1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (around 4oz, weight-wise)
3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (we used a 25 year aged one. heavenly.)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
salt & pepper to taste
~1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 oz arugula

1. place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven & preheat to 500°.  put the figs in a small saucepan with sherry & bring to a simmer.  when the liquid simmers, remove figs & set aside.  Let sherry continue to simmer and reduce by about half.

2.  gently flatten the pizza dough.  pick it up and stretch it out.  this next statement will revolutionize your at-home pizza making experience.  make a fist and place the flattened disc of dough on top.  move the dough & rotate around your fist, so that it stretches evenly.  (after i read this, i made the most round pizza i have ever made.  no, seriously, until i heard this technique, colorful language filled our kitchen & we had stupid looking pizza.)

3.  dust a pizza peel with cornmeal.  (yes.  you should buy a pizza peel.  unless you enjoy struggling with pieces of parchment paper, your hands and/or flattened cardboard boxes to get the pizza into the oven, then carry on.)  transfer the pizza dough to the prepared peel & stab several times with a fork.  top with cheese, figs & prosciutto.

4.  move the pizza to the oven.  bake for 8-10 minutes.  while the pizza is in the oven, whisk together the reduced sherry, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, salt & pepper, and olive oil, until it emulsifies.  when the crust on the pizza is spotty & brown, remove from oven & let cool for 5 minutes.

5.  toss the arugula with the vinaigrette.  spread evenly over pizza, slice & enjoy.