Peach season is right around the corner and this flatbread is a delicious appetizer for any evening dinner party in the dog days of summer. The sweetness of the peaches with the earthiness of the spinach and rosemary pair beautifully with the saltiness of the prosciutto and the tang of the balsamic reduction. Serve with a bottle of homemade white peach wine.
What You'll Need:
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 1/2 cups white flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ripe peaches
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 12 oz. prosciutto
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
- Olive oil for brushing the dough
- To prepare the crust, combine the water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let the yeast bloom for 5 minutes. Next, add the olive oil, flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir with a fork until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently kneed until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and place the bowl over the dough and let rest for 5 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, prepare the peaches and balsamic reduction. Peel and pit the peaches. Cut the peaches into rounds about 1/4" thick. Grill over medium-heat grill on both sides for 2 minutes each or until grill marks appear. Remove from grill and set aside. For the reduction, pour the balsamic into a small sauce pot and simmer over medium-high heat until it has reduced by half, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Once the dough has rested, it is time to make the flatbread. The flatbread itself is grilled and the process needs to go fairly quickly to avoid burning. I have found it is best to use a grill set to low heat, or if using charcoal (like me), let the coals cool a bit before attempting to grill the pizza. Fresh coals burn too hot and will burn your pizza in a matter of seconds.
- Cut the dough in half (since this recipe is for 2 eight-inch pizzas) and leave the other half under the bowl. Roll out the dough into an 8" round. Using a pastry brush, brush olive oil on one side of the dough. Place the dough on the grill, oil side down and cover with grill lid. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until grill makes appear on the bottom of the dough. Brush oil on the top of the dough and flip. Next, quickly add the toppings in the following order: peaches, prosciutto, spinach, rosemary, bleu cheese. Cover the pizza and cook until the cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the pizza from the grill and repeat the process to make the second pizza.
- Drizzle with the balsamic reduction and enjoy!
Yield: 2 eight-inch pizzas
