Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza Drizzled with Honey

Special Equipment: Stand mixer with dough hook attachment

Recipe makes 4 to 6 servings. Total time 2 hours. Active time 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 3½ to 4 cups 00 pizza flour, (reserve ½ cup to add if dough is sticky)

• 1⅓ cups warm water (120-130 degrees)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, olive oil for greasing the bowl (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 
• 2¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast

• Semolina flour (about ¼ cup) for dusting baking pans 

  For the sauce:

• 2 cups ricotta cheese

• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Toppings:

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 large bartlett pear, cored and sliced as thinly as possible
• ½ cup crumbled gorgonzola 
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (about 0.5 bunch of thyme)
• ¼ cup honey to drizzle over the pizza after baking
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. For the dough: Combine the water and yeast in a medium bowl and let sit for 5 minutes to dissolve the yeast.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 3 1/2 cups of the flour with the salt and sugar. With the mixer on medium speed, add the yeast mixture and then the olive oil. If the dough is still sticky when it is fully combined, add the reserved flour gradually, adding until the dough holds together and comes away from the side of the bowl. At this point, turn the speed up to high and mix for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the sides of the bowl are clean and the dough is elastic and holds together in a smooth ball.
3. Use olive oil to grease a large bowl. Transfer the dough from the mixing bowl to the oiled bowl to rise. Use your hands to turn the dough in order to coat it in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic and put it in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 475℉. Dust 2 baking pans with semolina flour.
5. Divide the dough in half. Place half of the dough in the center of each prepared pan. Use your hands to stretch the dough into a rounded, oblong pizza that is about twice as long as it is wide. Repeat with the other half of the dough on the second baking sheet. Cover the crusts with plastic wrap and let them rest for 15 minutes.
6. For the toppings: Combine the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until combined and set aside.
7. When you’re ready to put it all together, remove the plastic from the pizzas. Use your fingers to stretch each pizza out a bit more towards the edges of the pan. Spread half of the ricotta mixture onto each of the pizzas. Top each with half of the mozzarella cheese, followed by half of the pear. Sprinkle half of the Gorgonzola over the top of each pizza. Sprinkle the thyme leaves over the top of each pizza. Brush the crust with olive oil.
8. Bake the pizzas for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and browned and the crust is golden in color. Transfer the pizzas to cutting boards, drizzle with honey, cut, and serve.

Recipe first featured on Ranch To Table Season 4 Episode 5: "Pizza Night" on the Magnolia Network.

Enjoy!

Elizabeth