with
Florette Salad
Today, the 22nd October 2016, is the Autumn Equinox and I can definitely feel a nip in the air, with early mornings and evenings being chilly; it’s time to pack the summer garden furniture away, cut the logs, prune the garden and generally start thinking about comfort food and steaming bowls of soup. Salads are usually associated with summer and the warmer months, but at “Chez Lavender and Lovage”, we enjoy salads all year around, and today’s recipe for Fresh Fig, Gorgonzola & Walnut Pizza with Rocket is the perfect transitional meal for a tasty Autumnal dish which is served with fresh wild rocket leaves.
It’s a bit of a cheat’s recipe, insofar as I used a ready-made and ready-rolled fresh pizza dough base, as I was very tight for time, but wanted to make a seasonal pizza for supper; the fresh figs and walnuts came from our own garden, we are lucky enough to have two fig trees and a very prolific walnut tree, and having just returned from a cruise around the Mediterranean, where I enjoyed pizza in Naples, with Gorgonzola cheese, it seemed like a great combination idea for a recipe, with some Florette Salad peppery, wild rocket leaves served on top, which offsets the richness of the cheese.
This is my third bespoke recipe creation in collaboration with Florette salad, and was developed with busy mums (and dads) in mind, as schools have just started back and it’s back to weekly meal planning, with time at a premium. The cheese may not suit some little ones, but the beauty about a recipe like this, is that you can adapt the idea to suit your own personal taste; so, the Gorgonzola cheese can be subbed with Cheddar, Cheshire or even Mozzarella, and ham and/or bacon can be added if you aren’t looking for a vegetarian recipe. However, I do think that the gourmet combination of fresh figs, walnuts, blue cheese and rocket is a FAB idea for a special “a deux” supper with a bottle of wine!
Do check out my last two recipes here: Vietnamese Rainbow Vegetable Summer Rolls and here: Moroccan Chicken & Apricot Salad with Tabbouleh, and why not have a bash at making today’s tasty Fresh Fig, Gorgonzola & Walnut Pizza with Rocket one night next week, or this weekend? Rocket is a fabulously versatile leaf to serve, which gets its from the French ‘Roquette’; also known as arugula, ruccola and roquette. As a relative of the watercress and radish, it is packed with vitamins A and C, making it a very healthy leaf to enjoy with all manner of dishes. I hope you are inspired to make my latest recipe, and please do let me know in the comments below if you make it, and how you enjoyed it! Karen
Disclaimer: Collaborative paid recipe development with Florette; all views and opinions remain my own.
Easy Fresh Fig, Gorgonzola & Walnut Pizza with Rocket
Print recipe
| Serves | 2 to 3 people |
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 20 minutes |
| Total time | 25 minutes |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Gourmet, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Birthday Party, Casual Party |
| Region | Italian |
| By author | Karen Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 250g to 270g ready-made pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons passata
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- handful of chopped fresh chives
- 50g walnut halves
- 6 to 12 fresh figs, halved (depending on size)
- 75g Gorgonzola, cut into thin slices
- 1/2 bag of Florette Wild Rocket leaves (plus extra for side salad if required)
Optional
- a drizzle of chilli oil (to serve)
Note
A delicious gourmet pizza with fresh figs, walnuts, Gorgonzola cheese and wild rocket leaves, this is easy to make and is a great "after work" supper for those who don't have much time at their disposal. Also wonderful as part of a weekend "pizza night" treat too. Add ham or bacon for meat eaters if you wish.
Directions
| Step 1 | Pre-heat oven to 220C/450F/Gas mark 7. |
| Step 2 | If the pizza dough is ready rolled, lay it on a pizza tray with the grease-proof paper underneath and shape to fit the tray; roll the edges over to form a crust and then spread the passata over the pizza dough. (Please note, if you have a home-made pizza dough recipe that you want to use, then use that instead of the ready-made dough) |
| Step 3 | Season to taste with the salt and pepper, the scatter the fresh chives and walnuts over the top of the passata; arrange the halved figs all over the pizza base, and then add the slices of Gorgonzola cheese. |
| Step 4 | Bake in pre-heated oven for between 15 and 20 minutes, until the base is cooked, and the cheese has melted and is bubbling. |
| Step 5 | Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 2 minutes before piling the wild rocket leaves in the middle of the pizza and drizzling with chilli oil if using. |
| Step 6 | Using a pizza cutter wheel, cut into wedges and serve with extra wild rocket leaves on the side with extra fresh figs and cheese if desired, or with seasonal salad vegetables. |
| Step 7 | NB: For meat eaters, add some slices of prosciutto or bacon lardons before baking. |
As this is a savoury supper or tea dish, I am entering it into the September Tea Time Treats linky, where the theme is “Savoury”
It’s being hosted by one of my two co-hosts, Manjiri from Travels for Taste; Jo from Jo’s Kitchen will be in the chair next month!
More Rocket Recipes:
5:2 Diet Recipe: Cauliflower Steaks with Grana Padano Cheese, Olives and Rocket Leaves
5:2 Diet Spiced Moroccan Cauliflower Couscous – Tabbouleh with Halloumi (56 calories)
Spring Green 5:2 Diet Recipe: Moroccan Roasted Vegetable Salad with Feta Cheese (200 calories)
Low-Calorie Minted Pea & Vegetable Frittata – 200 calories
5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe
Wild Rocket:
Legend has it that Dioscorides, the Greek physician and pharmacologist (40-90AD), described the leaf as ‘a digestive and good for ye belly’ Thin and spiky, strong and peppery, rocket is thought to originate from southern Europe, so can keep its cool in salads or can be wilted in pasta or on pizza.
La Torontoise says
Karen, I love the Florette’s products. When in France, this is what makes my salads:-)
And today I have some fresh figs and this pizza is just the best thing that my busy day could offer. That will be the focus of tonight: -)
Love these fast and tasty recipes.
Have a great weekend!! Thi pizza makes me dream now of the South of France.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Me too, they have such a FABULOUS range of ready-to-eat salads and I always have a few bags in the fridge! Karen
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
You have perfect timing, I just picked up a basket of gorgeous figs at the supermarket, can’t wait to make this!
Karen Burns-Booth says
GREAT news Sue! I hope you enjoyed the pizza if you made it! Karen
Georgina Ingham | Culinary Travels says
This looks absolutely delicious Karen. So flavourful. Beautifully presented too.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Georgina, it did look as good as it tasted! Karen
Kim @ Three Olives Branch says
This looks and sounds amazing! I love all of these flavors, never thought to put them all on a pizza before!
Karen Burns-Booth says
It just works so well on every level Kim! Karen
Silvia says
For a long I wanted to try this combination and I never did, but I really have to. I think it goes so well together, I bet it’s so delicious.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Silvia, it’s a combination that really works!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
This pizza is gorgeous! I love figs, but have never tried them on pizza. I can’t wait to try it!
Karen Burns-Booth says
The fresh figs just go so well with the walnuts and blue cheese Amy! Karen
Dom says
loving the figs right now, they just so fragrant … this looks beautiful and figs with gorgonzola is heavenly. Beautiful xx
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Dom – I was pretty pleased with this pizza and all the flavours worked so well together too! Karen
Elinor Hill aka Beachhutcook says
This look the answer to a lunch I have planned with some girlfriends. Sorted. Thanks. Elinor x
Karen Burns-Booth says
GREAT stuff Elinor! Thanks so much and ENJOY! Karen
Catherine says
I’ve just prepared this for supper tonight. It looks so good prior to baking too. I made the pizza dough in my breadmaker for the first time. If it’s a success, and why shouldn’t it be, I will be making more. Thank you for the recipe
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks for letting me know Catherine, and I bet it is even better with homemade pizza dough too, which would be my preference when time wasn’t so tight!
Lily says
This might be the poshest pizza I’ve seen Karen. Delicious! Definitely a recipe I’ll be trying out.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Lily – do let me know how you like it! Karen
Stuart Forster says
The images you have posted look gorgeous and the recipe sounds delicious. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your recipes.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Stuart, looking forward to meeting you next week for our Arctic adventure too! Karen
Manjiri C K says
Beautfully refreshing and comforting recipe Karen, I love figs and stilton and rocket leaves add an edge to the dish, don’t they ? Perfect idea for a savoury treat on a chilly afternoon this!