black fig goat cheese & caramelized onion pizza with arugula (+ the simplest pizza dough recipe)

I asked my Facebook gang to choose between two pizza-esque posts I intended to write up so to know which I should put first. The people seemed rather intrigued by figs on a pizza – so figs on a pizza it is. The other recipe will come soon. Promise! I follow quite a few Trader Joe’s related accounts on Instagram and several mentioned figs for one reason or another, hence the inspiration for this here dinner. A bit savory, a hint of sweet, some green flicked atop for micronutrients and aesthetic (just being honest here). Looks fancier and more complex than it is. Really, this guy is just like any other pie: slice a few things, forget about some onions in the fry pan for a half hour or so while the dough poofs in the cabinet, throw some cheese atop, and voila!

Tricks of the pizza dough trade

Pizza dough is one of the more forgiving bread types to create. If you don’t let it rise enough, the worst that’ll probably happen is a crispier, slightly denser crust. Rise too much, you might get an aggressive puff. Whichever way you tug and spin it, it will taste delicious – unless, of course, some real proportion issue crops up in production and spoils the whole affair. I have faith you’ll pull it off, though. The efficacy of pizza dough is detectable by simple touch. When everything is mixed up, it should be soft and tacky, but not sticky and not leaving behind a wet glutenous trail on the bowl or your hands. Shaping the crust can be tricky, so I always suggest breaking off an inch or so of the dough and setting it aside to fill in the inevitable hole(s). I’m well acquainted with holey dough. Fixable, though, with my recon blob.

On caramelizing onions:

I love caramelized onions. I could throw them on almost anything. Low heat, some salt and pepper, and fajita-style slices of onion is all you need. If the heat is low enough – 2-3 on my range, could be higher or lower on yours – you need only stir the onions every few minutes (or when you remember) to prevent them from browning overmuch. This slow cooking process coaxes the sugars out of the veggie and coats them in a mouthwatering saccharine glaze. I usually add a generous shake of balsamic vinegar towards the final 5-10 minutes of cooking time to really up the ante on the sweet flavor threshold.

Tl:dr – Cut onions, cook over low heat for at least 30 minutes with some stirring here and there, add balsamic if you’d like. Boom.

black fig, goat cheese & caramelized onion pizza + dough recipe

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For the dough, you can certainly replace the wheat flour with additional bread or all-purpose, but I like the nutritional punch of whole wheat and I think it lends a heartier taste. If you're not a fan of goat cheese, I'd recommend feta as a replacement. Brie might work too, but that's far too fancy for me. Prep time listed includes the homemade dough, but would be shorter if you use a premade crust.

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Prep Time 1 hr 30 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 2 hrs

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

  

best pizza dough (makes enough for one regular-sized pie)

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all purpose or bread flour
• 1 tsp salt

for the pizza

• 1 6 oz log goat cheese
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
• 1 batch caramelized onions (from above ingredients)
• 5-6 black figs, sliced
• 2 cups fresh baby arugula
• 1 batch pizza dough, homemade or storebought

Instructions

 

pizza dough

• Proof your yeast first. Measure warm water and sugar in a glass measuring cup, then sprinkle yeast atop and stir gently to combine. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until bubbly and frothy. If it does not respond, the yeast is likely dead and you'll either need a fresh container or less-hot water.
• As the yeast proofs, mix flours and salt in a medium-sized bowl. When the yeast is ready, add oil to the glass measuring cup, then pour all of the contents into the bowl with the flours. Stir with a wooden spoon until dough comes together into something of a ball-shape. You may need more water if the dough looks dry – add 1 tsp at a time until a tacky, soft dough forms. Knead a few times with your hands until everything is incorporated. Spray your bowl with a bit of oil, place dough in and turn once to coat, then cover with plastic or a tea towel and let rise 45-60 minutes in a warm, draft-free place.
• Once dough is risen, punch down and knead a couple times. Let rest in the bowl as you prepare the remaining ingredients.

pizza assembly

• Preheat your oven and pizza stone, baking sheet, or cast iron skillet to 425 degrees F. Gather your toppings nearby. Break a small portion of dough off from the main ball – this will be for filling in gaps. Shape your pizza dough to the desired size. I usually do this by forming a 4-6 inch disc in my hands and pressing into the dough about one inch from the ends to create the crust-shape. I then gently knead it with my knuckles until I roughly get the correct diameter, then throw it haphazardly on the pizza stone and CAREFULLY press it to complete whatever convoluted art sculpture I've created. Then, I take my recon dough and fill in the holes. There exists many methods of dough-shaping. Feel free to ignore mine and Google other, more expert tutorials.
• Once your dough is formed, poke several holes in the surface with a fork. Parbake for 8 minutes.
• The fun part now! Brush about 1 tbsp olive oil across the whole crust. Start by breaking small chunks of goat cheese and spreading them as evenly as possible across the bottom. Then layer your caramelized onions and figs overtop. Finish with a generous smattering of arugula. Return pizza to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then switch on the broiler and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, watching obsessively, until the crust and the tips of the goat cheese brown. Remove from oven, cool a few minutes, then slice and serve.