fig & pig pizza

I've had variations of this pizza at several different restaurants, most recently—and perhaps most deliciously—in the tiny town of Lancaster, Ohio. It's a classic combo. Sweet figs marry savory pork and are topped with fresh, peppery arugula. What's not to love?

I've added a couple unusual additions to this version: blue cheese adds tanginess, and hazelnuts provide a nice crunch. And, of course, caramelized onions make everything a little better.

Notes:

Since the figs I used were packaged tightly together, they were already a bit jammy inside. If you use fresh figs, you might need to cook them longer to get the right consistency.

You can make just about all of these components ahead of time. You'll need to start the pizza dough the morning on the day you'd like to have pizza, but it's only about 5 minutes active time. You can make the jam up to two months in advance. You can also make the caramelized onions and cook the pancetta earlier in the day and keep them in the refrigerator.

If you'd like, you can purchase fig jam and/or a pre-made pizza crust. If you use store-bought jam, sprinkle a pinch or two each of cinnamon and ground cloves after spreading it on the crust. If you use a different crust, you'll need to adjust the baking time and temperature accordingly.

Fig & Pig Pizza
Makes one 9x13" pizza, serves 2

3/4 - 1 cup spiced fig jam
1 pizza crust (following recipe, or store-bought)
4 oz pancetta, diced (or proscuitto, cut into thin ribbons)
1 red onion, halved and sliced thinly
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
Scant 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
2 - 3 tbsp chopped hazelnuts
1/2 - 3/4 cup mozzarella, shredded
Freshly ground black pepper
Baby arugula

Spiced fig preserves (makes about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 lemon, seeds removed but not peeled, roughly chopped
9 oz / 2 cups black mission figs, stems removed and halved (I used these)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
Heaping 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Two generous pinches of ground cloves
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp water

Pizza dough (from smitten kitchen)

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp kosher salt
Heaping 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp warm water, plus 1 to 2 tbsp more if needed

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Make the fig preserves:

Whirl the lemon and figs in a food processor until pureed. Add the fig mixture to a saucepan with the sugar, ginger, spices, lemon juice, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture has a jammy consistency, about 15 minutes. Scoop into clean jars and seal tightly. Let cool. Jam should last up to two months in the fridge.

Make the dough:

You'll need to start this between 6 - 8 am the morning of the day you'd like to make the pizza. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir. Dough should be rough and craggy. If it's too dry, add one or two more tablespoons of water. Cover tightly with saran wrap and let rise for about 12 hours.

Pizza time:

Preheat oven to its highest temperature (probably between 500 - 550 F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

First, caramelize the onion: heat the butter and olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. When melted, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently. After 10 minutes, sprinkle a liberal amount of salt onto the onions. Continue to cook and stir until browned and soft, about 20 to 30 more minutes. The longer you let them cook, the tastier they'll be. Remove onions from pan and set aside.

In the same skillet, still over medium heat, cook the pancetta until browned and crispy (if you're using prosciutto, skip this step). Set aside on a paper towel to drain.

Scrape the risen pizza dough from the bowl onto a very well-floured counter. Sprinkle the top with flour and form dough into a ball. Pick up with floured hands and drop onto the counter a few times before dropping it on the lined baking sheet. Stretch with your floured hands to form a roughly 9x13" rectangle.

Next, assemble the pizza. Spread the fig preserves evenly onto the dough. If it's too thick to spread, just pop the jar in the microwave for 30 seconds. Arrange pancetta and caramelized onions onto the jam, and then sprinkle the hazelnuts and blue cheese crumbles on top. Cover with mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 8 minutes, then place directly on the oven rack for another 3-4 minutes, until cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. If it gets too dark on top, cover with foil. Top hot pizza with plenty of baby arugula, slice into squares, and enjoy!