Pear Pizza with Burrata, Speck and Pistachios
This quietly luxurious white pear pizza starts with a creamy base of thyme-infused white sauce, topped with buttery fontina, jammy caramelized onions, juicy crisp pears, creamy burrata and salty speck. Finish with a light drizzle of honey that adds a glossy sweetness that ties into the pears, while fresh lemon zest cuts through the richness with a bright, citrusy lift. A dusting of freshly grated Grana Padano brings a final layer of savory depth.
Equipment
- pizza stone or baking sheet
- parchment paper
- large and medium skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound prepared pizza dough
- White Pizza Sauce with Thyme (recipe follows)
- 8 ounces shredded Fontina cheese
- ⅓ cup caramelized onions (recipe follows)
- 1 or 2 pears (Bosc, Anjou, Comice or Bartlett), cored and sliced thin
- 4 ounces of burrata cheese, cut into small pieces
- 3 ounces speck ham torn into pieces, substitute prosciutto
- 2 tablespoons chopped shelled pistachio nuts
- zest from ½ lemon
- freshly grated Grana Padano cheese
- honey
Caramelized Onions
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
White Pizza Sauce with Thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- One hour prior to baking, place a pizza stone in the oven set to 450 to 500°F. Cut a piece of parchment the size of the pizza stone and spray with oil, sprinkle with cornmeal and gently shape the dough to the size of the parchment either by using one’s fist and stretching, tossing, rolling or just forming it to a diameter the size of a pizza stone. (Mine is 16”.)
- Assemble Pizza: Top pizza evenly with half of the White Pizza Sauce with Thyme. Evenly cover with fontina cheese. Dab caramelized onions over the cheese. Arrange pear slices to cover the pizza. Top with dabs of burrata.
- Transfer the pizza to the pizza stone and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and top with torn pieces of speck ham and return to the oven for 4 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.
- Finish with a drizzle of honey. Sprinkle pizza with chopped pistachios, lemon zest and grated Grana Padano cheese.
- Prepare Caramelized Onions: Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until softened and caramelized, Add vinegar and sugar and continue cooking until vinegar has been absorbed. Reserve.
- Prepare White Pizza Sauce with Thyme: In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook shallots and garlic in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine and reduce to about 2 tablespoons, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and reduce by half, approximately 10 minutes to make approximately ½ cup. Add thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.