SEASON CHANGE

I'm ready for fall. As much as I love summer, I get antsy as September comes around and I begin to long for cooler weather, mulled cider, harvest picnics, and all the tastes that autumn brings. Still, with the persistent warm weather, everything feels in-between. Alas, my cooking feels that way as well these days.

Yesterday, I made a batch of pizza dough using a much loved recipe from Martha Stewart. I've been meaning to attempt to recreate one of my favorite pizzas: the Bianca Skizza from Gigi Market (I would probably eat this every day if I lived in the Hudson Valley... but my scale is happy I don't!) Yesterday felt like the perfect day to give it a try! Gigi's version has fig jam, pears, goat cheese, arugula, and white truffle oil. I did a spin-off of this version, using what we had at home (and finally using up the last of the pears from last week's farm share!). I added white vermont cheddar, sea salt, and dried lavender and omitted the arugula and white truffle oil. The result was a delicious, sweet and savory pizza. For me, the taste and ingredients captured that sense of changing seasons perfectly!

Before baking 

Pizza for Early Fall

What you need:

1 pound of Basic Pizza Dough (make the whole recipe, freeze the other half and save it for another time!)

2 pears

Fig Jam (I used  Dalmatia Fig Spread but encourage you to make you're own if you're feeling extra adventurous)

Goat cheese (I used a mild, young cheese but would love to try it with an aged chevre like Humbolt Fog or a Rocamadour)

Extra Sharp White Cheddar

Dried lavender buds

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

...

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a baking sheet and place a piece of parchment over the top.

2. Stretch and roll dough until it

3. Brush EVOO onto surface of dough

4. Spread a thin layer of fig jam onto surface of dough

5. Cut pears into thin slices. Arrange on top of pizza.

6. Slice thin pieces of cheddar cheese and arrange on top of the pears. Using a spoon, scoop softened goat cheese from container and add a few dollops around the surface of the dough.

7. Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste. Sprinkle a few pinches of dried lavender buds on top of the other ingredients.

8. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown in color.

  Serve warm and enjoy!