Description
A gourmet Pear and Brie Pizza combining a crispy homemade dough with sweet, thinly sliced pears, creamy brie cheese, crunchy walnuts, fresh thyme, and a drizzle of honey for a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 1/4 oz active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (100°F)
- Pinch of sugar
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for bowl)
For the Topping
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large pears, cored and very thinly sliced
- 8 oz brie cheese, rough chopped
- 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 4 tsp fresh thyme, minced
- 2 Tbsp honey
- Pink salt or other good quality salt, to taste
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: Whisk the yeast and a pinch of sugar into the warm water and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until bubbly or foamy.
- Mix the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine flour and salt. On low speed, gradually add the yeast mixture and 1/4 cup olive oil. Knead for about 5 minutes until smooth. (Alternatively, mix by hand and knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes.)
- Knead and Shape: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for an additional 2-3 minutes until very smooth. Shape into a ball.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a large bowl coated with olive oil, turning it to coat all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, preferably in a warm spot.
- Divide Dough: Punch down the dough gently and divide it into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and cover with plastic wrap.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Surface: Heat the oven to 450°F. Place two baking sheets or a pizza stone inside to preheat for about 5 minutes.
- Shape Pizza Bases: Working with one dough ball at a time, stretch it by hand into a 12-inch round. If it springs back, let it rest covered for a few minutes and try again. Repeat with second dough ball.
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Remove hot baking sheets or pizza stone carefully and place on a cooling rack. Sprinkle each sheet with a handful of cornmeal and transfer each shaped dough onto them, stretching slightly to fit.
- Add Toppings: Brush each pizza base with 1 tbsp olive oil. Arrange the pear slices in overlapping concentric circles. Evenly scatter brie, walnuts, and thyme over the pears. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pink salt to taste.
- Bake the Pizzas: Bake pizzas for about 12 minutes or until golden brown with bubbling cheese and fully cooked crust. If the brie starts to brown too quickly, cover lightly with foil for the last few minutes.
- Serve: Slice pizzas and serve hot for a delicious, sophisticated meal or appetizer.
Notes
- Use ripe but firm pears to avoid soggy pizza.
- If you don’t have fresh thyme, dried thyme can be used but use less to avoid overpowering the dish.
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans or hazelnuts for a different crunch and flavor.
- Letting the dough rest if it’s too elastic will make stretching easier.
- Honey can be replaced with a drizzle of balsamic glaze for a tangier finish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course/Flatbread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of a pizza)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: pear pizza, brie pizza, homemade pizza dough, gourmet pizza, sweet and savory pizza, fall recipes
