Fig, Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese Flatbread Pizza

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Officially there are only a couple more days left of summer.  I'm going to make it last as long as I can!  After all, our summer produce is still going strong.  

The bounty keeps coming my way!  My girlfriend loaded me down with these beautiful figs from a tree on her property in Santa Barbara. 

I just love the combination of figs, caramelized onions and goat cheese.  Putting these ingredients together on a Flatbread Pizza just made sense.  For a lighter idea, you could omit the crust and just put all of these ingredients over a bed of arugula drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Since I am still boat less, I have had time to take some culinary classes.  I'm really enjoying this series of American Riviera Cuisine: California and the Classics taught by Chef Michele Molony.  It's been super fun to get back into ingredients unique to our California coast.  Chef Michele and I just seem to be on the same wavelength.  Amongst many other things, she also was a chef on yachts for years so she really gets what I do.

Chef Michele chooses the menu each week and we show up at class not knowing what we will be making that day.  The day after I made my Flatbread and did my photo shoot, I had my class.  We made Flatbread. It was perfect timing because now I have a few extra tips.  Last week the same thing happened.  I made my Gazpacho and did my photo shoot the day before class and the next day we made a Green Gazpacho.   

This was a great tip... rather than load the toppings on the uncooked Pizza Dough risking a soggy crust, carefully lay the dough on a grill pan or cast iron skillet over your stove for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the bottom of the pizza is thoroughly grilled and firm.  Flip and repeat on the other side.  Transfer the pizza to your baking sheet or pizza stone, load with your toppings and bake.  This will be easier to do if you have divided your dough into small balls to make personal size Flatbread Pizzas.  

Another fun tip... add your favorite chopped fresh herb into your dough depending on what you are topping your Flatbread with.  In class we added chopped fresh rosemary to our dough and topped it with delicata squash sliced very thinly, onions, fresh sage, parmesan and blue cheese.  Thyme would be a nice addition to the dough as well or rosemary and thyme. 

Adding prosciutto to my recipe would make for a heartier pizza as a meal.  There really is no end to what you can do.  Have fun with it!

Enjoy your last couple days of summer!

 

Fig, Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese Flatbread Pizza

Recipe Type:  Appetizer or Entree

Serves:  4

Ingredients

  • Pizza Dough (store bought or homemade recipe below)
  • 2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided 
  • Sea Salt and freshly Ground Pepper

For the Caramelized Onions

  • 1 White Onion, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 T Butter

For the Toppings

  • 3/4 C Fresh Figs, sliced
  • 3 oz Goat Cheese, separated into dollops
  • 1 C or more Baby Arugula
  • 2 T Balsamic Glaze or Reduction (store bought or homemade)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Prepare Pizza Dough (recipe below or according to package instructions).
  3. Add Butter and 1 tablespoon Olive Oil to a heavy-bottomed skillet set to medium-low heat.
  4. Add the sliced Onions and a sprinkle of Salt and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, golden and caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes. 
  5. Brush 1 tablespoon of the Olive Oil on Pizza Dough and Salt and Pepper to taste.
  6. Optional:  Transfer dough to grill pan or cast iron skillet on stovetop and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side or until grilled and firm.  
  7. Top with Caramelized Onions, Figs and dollops of Goat Cheese onto Dough.
  8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown on the edges.
  9. Top with Arugula, drizzle with Balsamic Glaze add Salt and Pepper to taste.

 

Pizza or Flatbread Dough

Ingredients

  • 1 envelope Active Dry Yeast
  • 2 T Sugar
  • 2 C Bread Flour (preferably) or All Purpose Flour plus more for rolling
  • 3/4 C warm Water
  • 1/2 tsp Salt (preferably fine)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly Ground Pepper
  • 2 T Olive Oil

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk the Yeast and Sugar with 1/4 cup of the Flour.
  2. Stir in 1/4 cup of the warm Water and let stand until slightly foamy, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the Salt, Pepper and the remaining 1 3/4 cups of Flour and 1/2 cup of Water. 
  4. Stir until a dough forms.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
  6. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a draft-free spot until billowy and doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
  7. Can be made one day ahead.  Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
  8. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  9. Place a pizza stone in the bottom of the oven and preheat for at least 30 minutes.
  10. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  
  11. Press and stretch the dough into a 13 inch round or desired shape.