P is for Peach Pizza

I did show this pic on facebook already but since it was my most favourite eats of late I figured it earned that full post.

I make pizza quite often because it fun and easy and versatile. Easy to make it kid-friendly as it the only way my kids will eat that much tomato-based anything. Yet this time I wanted grown-up flavour and no sauce. That's right, you hear me correctly, no tomatoes on my pizza.

I was inspired my a love of peaches and wanted to make a dinner and not a dessert with them. The result; grilled peaches on ricotta and buffalo mozzarella pizza, drizzled with a balsamic vinegar of Modena and peach nectar glaze and topped with some arugula for bite.

The dough is my go to;
1 1/2 cup (patent) flour, a sachet of yeast, 1/4 teaspoon fine sugar, 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, a generous pinch of dried oregano and a pinch of garlic powder (honestly I live for that stuff) get a whack in the food processor. While on medium speed I add 2/3 cup of hot water with a teaspoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of chili oil added in. I add in as much of the water as needed to form a tacky (not wet) ball. I let the processor do the work for a minute of two and then transfer the dough to a oiled bowl, cover with a oiled bit of plastic wrap and leave till needed. If, like in this instance, that is a bit later than estimated, I punch the dough back which is amazingly cathartic.

The balsamic reduction;
Equal parts balsamic vinegar of Modena and peach nectar get a slow boil till reduced by half, leaving me a rich thick, syrupy glaze.

I knead the dough very lightly and roll it out to the desired size. You can make minis or individual pizza but I went for one big one. I press the dough down with my fingers about an inch from the edge because I love pizza crusts. Dollops of ricotta, followed by hand torn chunks of buffalo mozzarella form the base instead of tomato sauce.

Then came the peaches. I wasn't super happy with the fresh peaches so went with canned. Delicious but fresh would be even lovelier for the firmer flesh. The peaches were brushed with oil and grilled on both sides beforehand. Sliced these babies were the topping. A good drizzling of the reduction and we're oven ready. I bake my pizza's on the hottest setting, 250 degrees Celsius till it's risen and golden with crisp bits. For me that's around the ten minutes but I check regularly.

Once out a handful of arugula leaves get splattered over the top and doused with the remaining reduction. Then it's time to slice and dive in. A bit sheepish..but this served only two or for the less outright hungered three to four. Bon appétit.