Fig Balsamic Shallot with Fetta and Proscuitto Pizza for Donna

During a recent discussion over dinner I asked my children which of my cooking endeavours would they remember the most. They both said my pizza crust. Even I think I make a great pizza. My standard recipe of 3 teaspoons yeast, 4 cups flour, 1/4 cup oil, 1 1/4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt makes 2 big pizzas.

For this pizza I used Donna's recipe as Joey posted when she announced the latest Hay Hay Its Donna Day. It was adequate but not my best effort. That could have been  the flour I used. Donna said all purpose and I saw a packet of flour for bread and pizza in the shop and decided to try it out.

Here is the Donna Hay recipe:
Pizza Dough
(from Modern Classics I by Donna Hay, page 186)

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• Pinch sugar
• 2/3 cup (5 fl oz) warm water
• 2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

- Place the yeast, sugar, and water in a bowl. Set aside until bubbles form.
- Add the four, salt, and oil, and mix to form a smooth dough. Knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
- Place in a clean, oiled bowl, cover, and allow to stand in a warm place until it has doubled in size. Makes one quantity.

Here's how I topped it.
Slice 3 shallots and soften in a little olive oil. Add a couple of tablespoons of fig balsamic vinegar* and evaporate over high heat, watching so it doesn't burn. Cool
Top pizza with some slices of mozzarella cheese, spread with shallots and crumbled feta cheese.
Drizzle with oil and bake in hot oven about 15 minutes.
Top with thinly sliced prosciutto to serve.

*Fig Balsamic Vinegar: this is my latest favourite condiment. The one I used in New Zealand was from a Middle Eastern importer and much nicer than the supermarket product I purchased in Australia. Fig Balsamic is a mixture of fig puree and balsamic vinegar so I have plans to make my own after I've done a little research.

Hay Hay Its Donna Day Pizzas is hosted by Joey at 80 Breakfasts

Deadline for all posts to be up and submitted is January 26, 2008. You can email all your entries to eighty_breakfasts(AT)yahoo(DOT)com on or before January 26, 2008. In your email, please include the following information: your blog name, your name, your location, your recipe name, and the permalink to your entry.

Comments

[Anticiplate]

This looks amazing! I love the combination of sweet and savory. I made Donna's butternut squash, goat cheese, and prosciutto pizza for the Hay Hay Donna Day Pizza contest. I will definitely keep you recipe on my list for the next pizza I make.

-Kari
www.anticiplate.com

[Meeta]

Now that is a pizza topping I could dive into. This looks awesome!

[chrisb]

I've never tried making a pizza base from scratch. Maybe I should give it try yours looks delicious!

[bron]

Oooh sounds superb, I'm very interested in the Fig Balsamic Vinegar wonder if I can down here, will out for it tomorrow when I go shopping!

[Kat]

sounds like a wonderful combination!

[Truffle]

Those toppings sound heavenly! What a fabulous combination.

[barbara]

Kari - thank you. I like your pizza too.
Meeta - dive in please. ;)
Chrisb - it's really quite easy , you should try.
Bron - I'll try and find the importer for you.
Kat - Hi it was .
Truffle - thank you, heavenly indeed.

[Courtney]

This sounds amazing.

[Patricia Scarpin]

What a delicious and different spin on pizza, Barbara - love it!

[beccy]

I definitely going to try and make your base, the one I make is ok but I know I could make a nicer base.

[arfi]

that looks delicious, barb!

[Brilynn]

Fig balsamic vinegar sounds wonderful!
I've made my pizza for HHDD but haven't posted it yet. I'm happy to say it's one of my best efforts to date with pizza!

[barbara]

Ciurtney - It was a good combination.
Patricia - It's nice to have achange from the normal toppings.
Beccy - let me know how it turns out and maybe enter it in HHDD.
Arfi - I'll make irt for you when you visit :)
Brilynn lookoing forward to seeing your pizza. I'm sure it will be terrific.

[Tartelette]

This is one gorgeous pizza! I love the combination of ingredients and its delicate aspect.

[OCStandard]

I tried this pizza dough with my niece and it was great. This was the first time I have made dough from scratch. thanks

[Barbara]

Tartlette - thankyou. Looking forward to your sweet pizza.
OCStandard - well done and now you never have to buy pizza again.

[Nicisme]

I've been on the lookout for fig balsamic vinegar for a while now, so I can't wait for you to make your own and post the recipe! Nice looking pizza.

[joey]

Oh Barbara! You had me at Fig Balsamic! The combination sounds absolutely amazing!

Thanks for such a fantastic entry :)

[Barbara]

NIcisme - I'm pleased to have discovered your site.
Joey and thanks for hsoting.

[Suzana]

Barbara, your pizza looks terrific!! I love that flavour combo - almost chose those for mine!

[Cakespy]

Ohhhh that pizza looks great! I just had my first fig pizza, what a great flavor!

[gilli]

Hi Barbara
Where did you buy the Balsamic it sounds divine.
Looks pretty too
Cheers

[barbara]

Suzana - great minds think alike :)
Cakespy - thank you, figs are so mediterranean aren't they?
Gilli - In Hillside Rd Glenfield just up from the corner of Wairau Road on the left is a food importer that also sell direct to the public. I would also buy big bags of semolina there. Fantastic place.

[Kevin]

This pizza sounds pretty tasty. The Fig Balsamic Vinegar sounds interesting. I will have to look for some.

[pizza]

thank you for sharing your recipe. I hope to recreate as well as you have done.