Pizza Senza Glutine con Ricotta, Marmellata di Fichi, Prosciutto, Cipolle Rosolate, Formaggio di Capra, e Rosmarino
Una Pizza Perfetta per la Fine dell'Estate - A Perfect Pizza for the End of Summer
This pizza is packed with flavor. The prosciutto pairs perfectly with the fig jam and goat cheese, and the onions and rosemary add an earthy undertone to each bite. The gluten free crust holds together so well you'd never know it doesn't contain gluten, and it's tasty too!
I love this recipe because of the fig jam and ricotta swirl. Ripe, rich figs are hard to come by in the Northeast of the US where I live, and I can usually only find them during a two-ish week span at the height of summer. Even then, many of the figs in the batch are no good. With the few figs that pass inspection, I like to slice them in half, lay them face up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, put a small dollop of honey infused goat cheese on top, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes, or until warm. Then, I drizzle them with honey and serve right away. *Italian chef kiss*
In Italy, fig trees are everywhere, and the Mediterranean climate is perfect for producing gorgeous varieties of the fruit that you can plop straight into your mouth from the tree. When I was 18, I spent a semester in Florence, and my Art History professor, a wonderfully eccentric American expat, brought in a basket of figs from the tree in his garden for our class to enjoy. My only experience with figs prior to that moment was with Fig Newtons, so that glorious mouthful of the fruit that seemed to still hold onto warmth from the sun has remained one of those special culinary memories that my tastebuds cherish. No fig I've had in the States has come close to the quality of the fruit in Italy. Luckily, fig jam preserves (no pun intended) the integrity of the flavor quite well, so I decided to make this pizza to satisfy my cravings. It's summery in flavor but hearty enough for slightly cooler September nights spent dining al fresco.
La Ricetta - The Recipe
La pasta della pizza - The pizza dough
*I did not take any pictures of the dough making process partly because I just don't think balls of dough are that attractive to look at, but also partly because the woman, Sam, whose recipe I adapted has a great video that walks you step by step through the process. Although there are a couple modifications in my recipe, I definitely recommend taking a look if this is your first time making pizza dough from scratch!
Gli ingredienti - The ingredients
farina senza glutine ~ gluten free flour - 2 cups (plus extra in case dough is too wet)
(My go-to g.f. flour for substituting with regular flour is Bob's Red Mill's 1:1 All Purpose Gluten Free Flour)
lievito ~ yeast (I use instant dry yeast) - 2 1/4 teaspoons
zucchero ~ sugar - 1 1/2 teaspoons
sale ~ salt - 3/4 teaspoon
olio extra vergine d'oliva ~ extra virgin olive oil - 2 tablespoons (plus extra)
acqua tiepida ~ warm water - 3/4 cup
Step 1. Add half of the flour and the rest of the dry ingredients to a medium bowl and stir together.
Step 2. Add the olive oil and warm water to the dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon.
Step 3. Little by little, poco a poco, add the second cup of flour to the mix, stirring together as you go, testing the mixture with your hands for the texture. You don't want it too wet that it sticks like glue to your hand, but you also don't want it too dry. If you add too much flour at any point, you can add a tiny bit more warm water until you get the right consistency.
Step 4. In a large bowl, drizzle a bit of olive oil and rotate the bowl around so that the oil coats the sides of the bowl. Drop your dough, which at this point should be a cohesive ball, into the bowl and use your hands to coat the dough in the olive oil from the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit somewhere warm, like a sunlit window, for half an hour to let the dough rise. About halfway through rising, preheat your oven to 425°.
Step 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place your risen dough in the center. With your hands, smooth the dough into a circular or rectangular shape. Fold the edges over a little bit so you get a nice crust and border for your toppings. Pour a liiiittle more olive oil on the dough and spread it around with your fingers to coat the surface. Poke holes over the surface of the dough with a fork.
Now we're ready for the good stuff.
I condimenti della pizza - The pizza toppings
Everyone likes different amounts of toppings on their pizza, so for the ingredients below, I am not listing amounts or measurements so that each individual can customize it how they would like :)
Gli ingredienti - The ingredients
ricotta ~ ricotta
marmellata di fichi ~ fig jam
prosciutto crudo ~ cured prosciutto
cipolla gialla ben rosolata~ yellow onion sautéed until it begins to brown
formaggio di capra ~ goat cheese
rosmarino ~ rosemary (fresh or dried)
Step 1. Add dollops of ricotta and fig jam to the dough and swirl them together to create the base for your other toppings.
Step 2. Arrange the rest of the toppings on your dough however your heart desires!
Step 3. Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the crust begins to brown along the edges.
Step 4. Slice and enjoy!
Buon appetito!
