Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula

There were figs in the market this week, and that’s all the reason I needed to make this Fig Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula. Whenever I find fresh figs, I can be relied upon to buy them up and dream of all the wonderful things to do with them, all the while eating them straight out of the grocery bag while walking home. I really like figs. I even found a really awesome strawberry fig tree in South Philly that’s abandoned. Don’t ask me where it is though, I won’t share this urban foraging secret. This week, since my figs actually made it home (they must have been at the bottom of the bag), this Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula was on the menu. As with all of my pizzas, I start with my standard pizza dough recipe and modify. In this instance, I make a wheat crust with rosemary, which adds to the sweet and savory theme of my Fig Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula. I also like adding some whole wheat flour to make the crust a little more substantial. A balance is key though, too much whole wheat flour and it can be a little tough. This Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula is an example of a combination of flavors that truly perfect. It’s surprisingly simple, perfectly paired, a treat for summer, and easy to pair with beer and wine alike, the Fig Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula pleases everyone.

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Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula features a homemade blue cheese béchamel sauce and fresh figs with prosciutto and arugula; one of my favorite combos.

Author: Barrett Bridenhagen

Ingredients

• Pizza Crust

Crust Modifications

• ½ cup whole wheat flour subbed for ½ cup all-purpose flour
• + 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried
• also you may want to cut down or omit salt altogether as the blue cheese and prosciutto will add plenty

Topping

• 1 pint fresh figs
• 2 cups arugula
• 4 ounces prosciutto
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 ounces blue cheese I like something on the milder side here, so it doesn't overpower the other flavors
• milk
• freshly ground black pepper
• aged balsamic vinegar or glaze

Instructions

• 
• I used a mezzaluna to mince the rosemary for the dough. A knife works too. Of course.
• Make the dough. Cover it with plastic wrap.
• While the dough is rising, start on the béchamel sauce. Whisk the butter and flour in a small sauce pan over medium heat. When it begins to brown and bubble, add ¼ cup milk. Whisk until smooth. Add the blue cheese and black pepper. When well-mixed, add additional milk until it reaches a thick, but spreadable consistency. You want the sauce to stay in place on the crust, but be easily spread. Turn off heat and leave it on the stove.
• Preheat the oven to 550° F (or your hottest oven temperature). Slice figs. When dough has doubled, roll out the crust on a lightly floured surface.
• Sprinkle a sheet pan or pizza stone with cornmeal.
• Set the dough over the stone and roll the edges in to create a moat. Cover in sauce.
• Layer the prosciutto. Cover completely, as prosciutto will shrink and crisp in the oven.
• Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and add the figs as quickly as you can so the pizza cools minimally. Bake an additional 5 minutes. If this is too much trouble, you can bake the figs the whole 15 minutes, from the beginning, I just prefer them a little more firm. Remove from oven.
• Top immediately with arugula so it will wilt a little.
• Let rest 5 minutes. Drizzle with very aged balsamic or balsamic glaze if you like.

Notes

This is a great pizza to serve for a crowd with differing opinions on wine. I think it’s great with IPAs, rosé, white, red; you name it, it works.