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Dinner Tonight: Peach and Goat Cheese Pizza

Posted on by Paula Gallagher

peach-goat-cheese-pizzaNow that local strawberries have slowly come to an end, I'm on to the next in-season fruit around here... PEACHES! In fact, I just picked up a bushel of them this past weekend and I want to take full advantage of this sweet, lovely fruit. From eating them as a snack, to turning them into some sort of delectable dessert, to using them as a pizza topping, there is no shortage of ways to enjoy peaches. Not only are they delicious, peaches are also nutritional powerhouses. They are a great source of vitamin C and beta carotene. Both antioxidants have been found to help with decreasing the incidence of type 2 diabetes, as well as support healthy brain function. The following pizza is the perfect summer recipe. It is also very simple to make and combines peaches with goat cheese and my favorite herb, basil. To be honest, I cheat and use a pre-made dough for my crust, but it is simple to make your own. Peach and Goat Cheese Pizza • 1 batch pizza dough (use your favorite recipe, or store-bought) • Cornmeal • 1 cup balsamic vinegar • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced or grated • 2 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled • 4 peaches, pitted and thinly sliced • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil You will need to make a balsamic reduction. This sounds fancy, but it's easy. To prepare the balsamic reduction, pour balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vinegar has reduced to 1/4 cup, about 20 minutes. Set aside and let it cool. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F or as high as your oven will go. If you have a pizza stone, preheat the stone in the oven for at least 30 minutes to allow it to get thoroughly hot. (You can also do this on your barbecue.) Divide the dough into tennis ball-sized pieces. Take one piece of dough and punch it down on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out into a circle approximately 1/4" thin. Place the pizza on a cookie sheet that has been coated with cornmeal. Lightly brush the pizza with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then top with mozzarella, goat cheese, and peach slices. Drizzle the pizza with balsamic reduction. Repeat for the remaining pizzas. Place the pizza in the oven directly on the pizza stone (if you have one) or on the oven rack. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until pizza crust is golden and cheese is melted. Remove it from the oven and top with basil and drizzle with balsamic reduction. Cut into slices and ENJOY! Photo from here, with thanks.
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