autumn orchard pizza

Figs are another favorite of mine, an elegant little fruit that lends itself to both savory & sweet combinations, mellowing either of those options with a rich, complex sweetness & wonderful combination of textures. For a couple of recent social events that called for something festive yet easy to make & serve to a crowd, I created this autumn pizza with dried figs, whose character is distinctively more nutty & fall-like to me. Made from local, seasonal ingredients (with the exception of the figs!) the fragrance & tartness of the apples, sweet nuttiness of the maple syrup caramelized onion & saltiness of the gorgonzola from Boucher Family Farm (a Vermont blue cheese, like Bayley Hazen, would work extremely well, too) complimented the taste of the fig wonderfully. And yes, I do believe it could be called "rustic"...

autumn orchard pizza

one pizza crust, as per your favorite recipe  I used a simple whole wheat flatbread crust
1/4 cup dried black mission figs, sliced thinly
4 Tbsp honey
dash balsamic vinegar
one large onion, sliced into thin wedges
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sweet butter
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 large, firm apples, peeled, cored & sliced thinly  I used pinovas
1/8 cup toasted walnuts, chopped coarsely
gorgonzola or bleu cheese
fresh sage, chopped

prepare the figs
Place the sliced figs in a small saucepan, drizzle with honey, splash with balsamic vinegar, & add just enough water to almost cover them. Simmer until the water & honey become thick & syrupy, & the figs soften & fall apart. Remove from heat & set aside.

prepare the caramelized onion
Heat the olive oil & butter in a pan on medium heat, & add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft & becoming translucent. Add the maple syrup & sea salt, & continue to cook the onions gently for 30 minutes or more until soft & brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat & set aside.

assemble the pizza
Brush the rolled out pizza dough with a little olive oil, & spread the fig mixture evenly over the surface, leaving the edges free. Next, dot the fig with dollops of the caramelized onion, then arrange the sliced apples on top of that. Crumble the gorgonzola on top of the apple layer, then sprinkle with the toasted walnuts & chopped fresh sage.

Bake in a 425ºF oven for about 10-15 minutes until the gorgonzola is melted, & the edge of the crust lightly browned.