One of my favorite pizzas of all time. This Fig, Burrata & Caramelized Onion Whole Wheat Pizza has it all going on. Double melty cheesy yumminess, jammy fig goodness, spice from the arugula and red pepper flakes and sweet caramelized red onions over a slightly chewy, slightly crisp, slightly honeyed crust.. The flavors just sing together. They do, you just gotta listen closely.
If you haven’t had some variation of this in pizza or foccaccia form, now. is. the. time. One because, you’ve been missing out. And two, because fig season is soon to be over.
I first started making a version of this ages ago with foccacia. Pretty similar, but with no cheese except for some shaved parmesan on top and lots of rosemary and pine nuts. I realized I haven’t shared that recipe. It’s on my to-do-list, promise. Then entered this version, with the burrata and mozzarella. Oooooh that just takes it to the next level and well, makes it a full meal. And a pretty special one if you ask me.
We start by making the crust. It’s pretty simple-it gets mixed up in a bowl by hand (a mixer could work too), kneaded on the counter, proofed and shaped into the desired size.
While the dough is rising, it’s perfect time to start caramelizing the onions which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
Then once the dough is proofed and has been shaped over a lightly floured pizza peel or some parchment paper (it will get transferred from this to a hot stone or pan,) you add the onions, minced garlic and the cheeses. Then bake for 10 minutes at which point you’ll spread the figs, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper on top, then bake about 5-10 minutes more until bubbly and crisp on the edges. And then once it’s had a few minutes out of the oven, a big handful of fresh arugula is piled on top for it’s added deliciousness and of course to get your greens in. And last, to garnish, add some red pepper flakes, shaved parm and glazed balsamic. And then it’s chow time.
This is a real treat and makes for a fab weeknight meal, weekend indulgence or addition to a party spread. Give it try, I think you might be just as smitten as I am. Hope this is the start to a fabulous week for everyone! Stay safe out there, friends.
Fig, Burrata & Caramelized Onion Whole Wheat Pizza
Ingredients
For the Whole Wheat Crust:
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups (250g) whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups (192g) all-purpose flour
For the pizza:
- 4 oz mozzarella
- 8 oz burrata cheese
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 5 fresh figs, quartered
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt & fresh black pepper
- 2 cups baby arugula
- balsamic glaze
- parmesan
- red pepper flakes
For the caramelized onions:
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 lg red onion
Instructions
For the dough:
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In a large bowl, mix the honey with the warm water. Stir the yeast in, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
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Once the yeast mixture is slightly foamy, add the olive oil, salt and the flours. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together. Then transfer the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes, adding a little flour at a time if needed. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Caramelize the onions now.)
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Preheat the oven to 450F/ 232C and place a pizza stone in the center rack. If you don't have a pizza stone, you can use an inverted baking sheet.
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When the dough has doubled, tip it out onto a lightly floured surface, and form into a tight round. Cover again and let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
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Roll the ball of dough with a rolling pin or stretch with your hands to desired size/ shape over a lightly floured pizza peel or floured sheet of parchment paper.
For the caramelized onions:
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Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat with the butter and oil. Then spread in an even layer.
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Lower the heat to medium-low and cook 30 minutes to an hour, stirring every few minutes to cook evenly. If they are browing too much, lower the heat. Cook until soft, sweet and caramelized. Remove from the heat & set aside.
To assemble the pizza:
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Spread the caramelized onions in a even layer over the dough. Sprinkle over the minced garlic.
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Tear the mozzarella into pieces and sprinkle all over the onions. Then do the same with the burrata. Carefully transfer the pizza to the hot stone or pan. (you can do this by pulling out the oven rack slightly or removing the stone/ pan from the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.
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Then carefully spread the fig pieces all over the pizza, drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle a little kosher salt and fresh ground pepper on top. Bake for 5-10 minutes more until the cheeses are melted, the crust is golden and crispy on the edges and the figs are starting to get a little color.
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Remove from the oven and let rest a couple minutes, then sprinkle the arugula on top, add a dash of red pepper flakes if desired, some fresh shaved parmesan and a nice drizzle of balsamic glaze. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Balsamic glaze can be purchased at most grocery stores but you can also make it by reducing 1 cup of balsamic vinegar over medium-low heat until thickened and coats the back of a spoon. (this will take about 15 minutes.)
*If transferring the pizza seems intimidating, you can spread the dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment that is placed over a pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet, then slide the whole sheet of parchment with the prepped pizza onto the hot stone or 2nd inverted sheet pan that is preheating in the oven.
