Todd Englishs Fig And Prosciutto Pizza Recipes

TODD ENGLISH'S FIG AND PROSCIUTTO PIZZA

Steps:

• 1. One hour prior to cooking, place a baking stone in the oven, and heat to 500°. 2. Roll out one pizza dough as thinly as possible. Place it on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover the surface with 1 teaspoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 pinch each salt and pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary. Leave an uncovered, 1-inch-wide outer lip all the way around. 3. Evenly dot 1/4 cup fig jam and 2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese on the pizza. Top with half the prosciutto. 4. Shake the peel lightly, and slide the pizza onto the baking stone. Bake until browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a firm surface and cut into slices. Serve immediately, garnished with half the sliced scallion. Repeat with remaining dough. Fig Jam Makes about 1 cup 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil 3 shallots, diced 1 cup red wine 1/4 cup Homemade Chicken Stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat 1/4 cup veal broth, or Homemade Beef Stock, or canned low-sodium beef broth, skimmed of fat 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves 1/4 cup sugar 1 rounded cup dried mission figs, quartered 1. Place a medium skillet over medium heat and, when it is hot, add the oil. Add the shallots, and cook until they are softened, about 3 minutes. Deglaze with the red wine, and reduce by half. Add the broths and vinegar, and reduce by half. Add the rosemary and sugar. 2. Lower the heat to low, and cook until the sugar has melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the figs, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are rehydrated, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cook until the mixture has the consistency of a liquidy jam, 10 to 12 minutes. Use immediately; or cover, and refrigerate up to 5 days. Recipes from "The Figs Table," by Todd English and Sally Sampson. Copyright ©1998 by Todd English and Sally Sampson. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

FIG-PROSCIUTTO PIZZA WITH ARUGULA

Steps:

• For the crust: Sprinkle the yeast over 3/4 cup warm (not lukewarm) water in a bowl.
• In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the flour and salt and, with the mixer running on low speed, drizzle in the olive oil. Keep going until it's mixed through. Next, pour in the yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.
• Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, tip the dough in and form it into a ball. Toss to coat the dough ball in the olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for at least an hour, or up to 3 or 4 days.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Arrange the oven rack in the lowest position.
• For the topping: Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface as thinly as possible Dough should be roughly 17 by 10 inches. Place on a large baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Spread the fig spread all over the surface of the dough. Lay the slices of mozzarella all over the surface of the pizza crust. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake the pizza until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and immediately drape the prosciutto slices over the hot pizza. Sprinkle generously with the arugula and Parmesan shavings. Cut into wedges or squares and serve immediately!

FIG-AND-PROSCIUTTO FLATBREADS

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone in the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 500ºF. (The pizza stone is ideal but not necessary - just make sure the oven is hot enough to cook the pizza's).
• Allow at least 45 minutes for the pizza stone to heat thoroughly.
• Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the pizza dough to a 13-inch round.
• Dust a pizza peel with flour and slide the dough onto it.
• Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with half of the garlic and rosemary.
• Season with salt and pepper & pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (if using).
• Dollop 1/4 cup of the fig jam (it is difficuclt to spread) all over the crust, being sure to leave a 1-inch border of dough all around.
• Scatter half of the cheese and prosciutto over the dough.
• Slide the flatbread onto the stone and bake for about 15 minutes, until puffed and golden.
• Transfer the flatbread to a cutting board and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make the second flatbread.
• Garnish with the sliced scallion and serve.

FIGS PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment, combine the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the oil and 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water. Knead on low speed until the dough is firm and smooth, about 10 minutes.
• Divide the dough into four balls, each about 7 1/2 ounces. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place two balls on each sheet, and cover with a damp towel. Allow the dough balls to rise in a warm spot until they have doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• To roll out the dough, cover your fingers with flour, then place a ball on a generously floured work surface. Press down on the center of the ball with the tips of your fingers, simultaneously stretching the dough out with your hands. When the dough has doubled in width, use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out until it is very thin. The outer border should be slightly thicker than the center. Transfer the dough on a spatula (allowing the dough to fold up almost like an umbrella) to a pizza peel or another flat, wide surface. The dough will be more oval than round. If any holes have appeared, pinch them closed. Repeat with the remaining balls.