I was at the house of my friends Dave and Dev for dinner recently and, while outside enjoying appetizers, their neighbour Yiannoula came by with a gift for them. It was a beautiful basket of fresh figs and they were thrilled.
Yiannoula saw that I was thrilled too and asked if I would like some. She and her husband, Frank, have several fig trees and all of them were filling up with fruit and, she said, they like to share the bounty.
I said yes and the next day when eating one of those plump Italian honey figs I wondered how else I could enjoy them. The Greek-style 鈥� also called souvlaki 鈥� pita bread I also had on hand provided the answer.
Beyond their traditional uses, this pocketless type of pita also makes a great base for a thin crust-style of pizza. I topped those pita pizzas with pieces of those sweet fresh figs and complimentary ingredients that included salty, silky proscuitto, tangy Gorgonzola cheese and spicy black pepper.
When making these pizzas in the winter, I would normally set the pita on a baking sheet, top them and then bake them in the oven until the bottom is crispy and the toppings are hot. But because it鈥檚 summer, I decided to cook my pita pizza on my barbecue instead.
The process began with me grilling and lightly charring the pita on one side. I took them off the grill and set them on a work surface, grilled side up. On went my toppings, the pita were set back on the grill, the barbecue lid was closed and these pita pizzas were cooked a few minutes more, until the toppings were hot.
Once off the grill, I topped the pizzas with fresh oregano and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic crema. The latter is a luxurious reduced balsamic vinegar mixture sold at European-style delis and many supermarkets.
My fresh fig topped pizzas were divine, but I didn鈥檛 stop there. The three varieties of cherry tomatoes growing in my garden all seem to be ripening at the same time, so I decided to use some of them on pita pizza too. Tastily accompanying those tomatoes were other toppings that included pesto, mozzarella di bufala and olives.
You鈥檒l find recipes for both grilled pita pizzas below. Each recipe yields four small, about seven-inch wide pizzas. Make both types if you are feeding a crowd. To make a nice Sunday supper, cut the pizzas into wedges and serve them with a simple green salad and a glass or two of prosecco.
Grilled Fig, Proscuitto and Gorgonzola Pita Pizza
If you don鈥檛 grow you own or have a neighbour that does and shares them, you find fresh figs for sale at some farmers markets and supermarkets. If you can鈥檛 find them, try another type of fresh fruit on these pizzas, such as wedges of nectarine or purple plum, or even blueberries.
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Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: About five minutes
Makes: Four small pizzas
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4 (about 7-inch wide) Greek-style (also called souvlaki) pita bread
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
8 paper-thin slices proscuitto (about 100 grams)
4 large fresh figs (see Eric鈥檚 options)
100 to 125 grams Gorgonzola or other soft, tangy blue cheese, pulled into small nuggets
鈥reshly ground black pepper, to taste
鈥� balsamic crema, to taste, for drizzling
鈥� fresh oregano or small basil leaves, to taste
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Preheat your barbecue to medium-high. Brush each pita lightly with olive oil. Grill the pita until nicely coloured on one side, about one minute. Remove from the heat and set pita on a work surface.
Turn the barbecue to low. Top the grilled side of each pita with two slices of proscuitto. Divide and top the proscuitto on each pita with figs and nuggets of Gorgonzola cheese. Now sprinkle each pizza with black pepper.
Set the pita back on the grill, cheese side up. Close the lid and cook three to four minutes, or until lightly charred on the bottom and the toppings are heated through. Remove pita pizza from the grill and set on a board. Drizzle and top each pizza with a little extra virgin olive oil, balsamic crema and oregano. Cut into wedges and serve.
Eric鈥檚 options: If you don鈥檛 have a barbecue, you could bake these pita pizzas in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a very large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set on the pita in a single layer. Top each pita with the proscuitto, figs, Gorgonzola and pepper. Bake eight to 10 minutes, or until crisp on the bottom. Top with the oil, crema and oregano, as noted above, cut into wedges and serve.
Grilled Cherry Tomato, Cheese and Pesto Pita Pizza
The mozzarella di bufala used on this margherita-style pita pizza is sold in small tubs in the deli section of many supermarkets and at Italian-style delis. If you can鈥檛 find it, you could also use bocconcini or soft goat cheese in this recipe.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: Five minutes
Makes: Four (one pita each) servings
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4 (about 7-inch wide) Greek-style (also called souvlaki) pita bread
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
1/2 cup pesto
16 to 20 cherry tomatoes, each halved
100 to 125 grams mozzarella di bufala, drained and pulled into nuggets
12 to 16 pitted kalamata olives, each halved
鈥� small, whole or torn large fresh basil leaves, to taste
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Preheat your barbecue to medium-high. Brush each pita lightly with olive oil.
Grill the pita until nicely coloured on one side, about one minute. Remove from the heat and set on a work surface.
Turn the barbecue to low. Spread the grilled side of each pita with about 2 Tbsp of the pesto. Divide and top the pesto with tomatoes, cheese and olives.
Set the pita back on the grill, cheese side up. Close the lid and cook three to four minutes, or until lightly charred on the bottom and the toppings are heated through.
Remove pita pizza from the grill and set on a board. Drizzle and top each pizza with a little extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil. Cut into wedges and serve.
Eric鈥檚 options: If you don鈥檛 have a barbecue, you could bake these pita pizzas in the oven using the same method as described for the recipe above.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section on Wednesday and Sunday.
