Quattro Formaggi Pizza with Figs and Honey
This Quattro Formaggi Pizza boasts gorgonzola, fresh mozzarella, fontina, and Parmigiano Reggiano on a single pie. Finished with figs, honey, and black pepper, this pizza is a salty/sweet fantasy.
Equipment
- Deep Skillet
- 2 round 12" pizza pans
- Stand mixer with a dough hook
- Immersion blender or food processor
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1½ cups luke warm water
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
Pizza Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp whole fennel seeds
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 (796ml, 28 fl oz) can whole tomatoes
- 1½ tsp dried basil
- 1½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
Quattro Formaggi Pizza
- 4 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 batch pizza dough see above
- 1 batch pizza sauce see above
- 225g (8oz fontina shredded
- 125g (4.5 oz) ball fresh mozzarella sliced and torn
- 100g (3.5 oz) gorgonzola crumbled
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano shredded
- 12 figs sliced
- toasted sesame seeds for sprinkling
- Honey for drizzling
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
For the Dough
- Sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the water. Give the mixture a quick stir and let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy.1½ cups luke warm water, 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the olive oil, honey, salt, and two cups of the flour. Mix on low until a loose dough forms. Start adding the remaining flour in 1/2 cup increments.**2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- Once the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is slightly tacky to the touch, transfer it to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. About 7 minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a bowl greased with olive oil. Either let rise at room temperature until doubled in size or transfer to the fridge and let rise overnight. ***
For the Sauce
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Sauté until just translucent. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and fennel seeds. Sauté until fragrant, about a minute more.2 tbsp olive oil, 1 yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp whole fennel seeds, 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Add the tomatoes and break them up roughly with the back of your spoon. Bring the mixture up to a boil and stir in the basil and oregano. Add the bay leaves and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half.1½ tsp dried basil, 1½ tsp dried oregano, 1 (796ml, 28 fl oz) can whole tomatoes, 2 bay leaves
- Using an immersion blender or food processor, blitz the sauce until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool completely.
For the Pizza
- Brush two 12" pizza pans with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and set them aside.4 tbsp olive oil
- Punch down the risen pizza dough and divide it into two. Stretch each piece to fit the pizza pans. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 30-40 minutes or until slightly puffy. This is a good time to start preheating your oven to 450°F.1 batch pizza dough
- Once the dough is primed, drizzle the remaining olive oil over the pizza shells. Use a pastry brush to ensure the oil is evenly dispersed.4 tbsp olive oil
- Top the pizzas with sauce, fontina, fresh mozzarella, gorgonzola, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Sprinkle the crust with sesame seeds and transfer the pizzas to the oven. Place the pizzas on the lower rack and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.1 batch pizza sauce, 225g (8oz fontina, 125g (4.5 oz) ball fresh mozzarella, 100g (3.5 oz) gorgonzola, ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, toasted sesame seeds
- Take the pizzas out of the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes before topping them with the figs, honey, and black pepper. Slice and serve immediately.12 figs, Honey, Fresh ground pepper
Notes
** You might not need the full 4 ½ cups or you may need more. This depends on the humidity or lack thereof in your kitchen. Just add as much as you need to create a dough that cleans the sides of the bowl and is slightly tacky to the touch.
*** If you let your dough rise overnight, remember to take the dough out of the fridge a full hour before you plan on doing anything with it. It needs to come back up to room temperature.