Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza with Arugula

Todd English has a wonderful Fig Pizza that I tasted at his restaurant in Las Vegas.  I also had a very good BLT Pizza at the California Pizza Kitchen in Palm Springs, CA.  So I was very surprised when I was not wild about this pizza from Bon Appétit magazine.  It is a specialty of a restaurant called Cucina in Woodstock, NY.  Possibly it is because I did not make the crust and estimated that my pizza pan was the equivalent of 2 10” pies.  So I used ½ the toppings.  It is also possible that because I could not make it beginning to end all in one motion that the time lapse produced a pizza that was tasteless and doughy.  I also do not have a great oven.  All factors considered, I will be out of here soon and should have waited to make this pizza when I had all my toys around me. 

Ingredients:

½ T plus 1 t EVOO, divided

1 T minced shallot

1 C dried figs, stemmed, quartered

½ C Marsala

1 T minced fresh rosemary

1 t kosher salt

Pepper

8 oz. fresh goat cheese

2 C arugula

1 pear

For the dough:

1 ½ C all-purpose flour plus more for rolling

1 ½ C bread flour

8 oz. fresh goat cheese

1 ½ T EVOO

Directions:

1.      Heat ½ T oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. 

2.      Add shallot; stir until soft, about 5 minutes. 

3.      Add figs, Marsala, and rosemary, increase heat.  Bring to a boil.  Add 1 C water, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring often and adding water by T, if too thick, until figs are soft and jam measures 1 ¼ C.  About 20 minutes. 

4.      If making dough.  Pulse 1 ½ C all purpose flour, bread flour, 1 ½ T oil, 1 t salt, and l C water in a food processor until dough forms.  Divide into 4 pieces.  Wrap each in plastic and let rest until soft, 2-3 hours. 

5.      Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

6.      Roll out each dough piece on a floured surface to a very thin 10” round.  Cover with a kitchen towel. 

7.      Place 1 dough round on each of 2 baking sheets.  Bake for 3-4 minutes to partially cook.  Repeat with remaining dough. 

8.      Spread 3-4 T fig jam over each crust; scatter 2 oz. goat cheese over each.  Bake in batches until crust is crisp, 4-5 min. 

9.      Toss arugula, pear and remaining 1t EVOO in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper.  Top pizzas with salad.