8:16 / Apricot Troika

Most of my pizzas so far have been inspired by a single cheese. Early on, I was set on a path by paneer. Last week, I wanted to give brunost a try. One cheese I have never thought to put on pizza is Stilton, and I figured it was time. I enjoy blue Stilton well enough, but the white sort I reach for at snack time is more accessible. You see, it's got apricot bits in it [and let's just say it comes from a place that rhymes with "Nader Woes"]. Maybe not dessert-y in an obvious way on its own, but I had my suspicions that with the right bedfellows, this cheese could bring together a perfect brunch pie.

Back at the beginning of 16P, I had planned for at least one fruit pizza. I had pictured oranges or melon slivers, but this Stilton planted an apricot-centric seed. It bloomed into all these images of fresh apricots, apricot jam, nuts, sauces - and juicy nectarine for a bit of variety. There is something about these fruits that just works with nutty flavors [probably their shared spotlight in Middle Eastern cooking] so pecans joined the group. The players were set, they just needed the right stage.

The crust was always going to be something between normal and pastry. Recently I have been making Norwegian cardamom buns, and their soft, fluffy texture and mild sweetness informed this recipe. I modified my crust slightly, including a few smoothing and sweetening touches, using milk rather than water, and just a hint of sugar. I included raw clover honey and cinnamon to add some depth to the flavor. Pizzas aside, I believe this crust stands on its own, functioning as a sort of breakfast flatbread [is there a better word for that?].

While this began as a dessert idea, I wanted something less expected, something to avoid a cloying, sucrose nightmare. It was as simple as going back to Italy. Fresh basil brings life to every bite, and added to a splash of balsamic and pinch of salt [especially good on the crust], this pie was feeling more mediterranean all the time.

Finally, as this was the most outside the box pizza yet, I decided to be cautious and only make one pie. I was stupid so you don't have to be - if you are wise, double or quadruple this recipe. Man cannot live on pizza alone, but damn it, I could eat this every day.

Crust:

3½ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup raw honey

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup + ¾ cup whole milk

1 tsp active yeast

1 egg

Lots of extra flour for kneading

Toppings:

⅓ cup apricot jam or preserves

1 large nectarine

1 apricot

¼ cup chopped pecans

6-8 oz white Stilton [with or without apricots]

1 handful of fresh basil [about 12 leaves]

Sea salt and balsamic vinegar to taste

Prepare the dough first. Mix the flour and salt. Combine ½ cup of warm milk and the yeast [stovetop or microwave is fine for heating the milk, but the stove allows you to monitor the milk temperature more closely, so you don't have to wait for it to cool down to 90º - 100º F if it overheats in the microwave]. Give the mixture a few minutes for the yeast to begin foaming, then add to the flour. Add the additional ¾ cup milk, then the sugar, honey and cinnamon as the dough mixes. This is a snap with a dough hook, but mixing by hand is always an option. 

Once the dough is silky in texture, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead the dough for about five minutes. It will likely be very sticky, so just keep dusting with flour and kneading it in until you have a cohesive ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, and leave, covered, in a warm place for one hour.

Once the hour is nearly up, preheat your pizza stone at 500º F. Slice the apricot and nectarine in thin segments. Try for 1/8th of an inch thick. The fruits I used were fairly large, so I recommend having an extra of each on hand if you cannot cover the whole pizza. 

Remove the dough from the bowl once it has risen for an hour. Knead to remove the air bubbles, then roll out or shape with your hands into a 14" circle. Dust your preheated stone with cornmeal, then place the dough over it. Bake the dough for 10 minutes, then remove. After ten minutes, the dough should be slightly golden, fluffy and thick.

Spread the apricot jam over the dough, then begin layering on the sliced fruit. I formed mine into a sort of pinwheel, purely for aesthetics of course. Crumble the stilton over the fruit, and sprinkle with the chopped pecans. Brush the crust edges with a beaten egg, and pop back in the over for about 10 more minutes. 

The stilton will melt a little, and the fruit may begin to caramelize, but one thing is for certain: the crust will be golden-brown perfection. This is the best crust I have made yet, and while I am sure the sugar has something to do with that, I cite the pre-baking ritual as the real difference maker. Dress the pizza with fresh basil leaves, and serve each slice with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of sea salt.