Fig & Arugula Flatbread Pizza

Warm and toasty flatbread, layered with creamy and tart goat cheese, a drizzle of honey, sprinkled with flakey salt and freshly ground pepper and topped with peppery arugula and fresh figs. This flatbread pizza’s delicious balsamic glaze, crumbled sharp blue cheese, and walnut final topping will have you craving for more.

SERVES: 4

PREP TIME: 10 minutes | COOK TIME: 5 minutes | TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

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There is nothing more stimulating to the senses than the taste of a sweet and savory combo. There are foods that go together so well, it’s like a perfectly orchestrated symphony of flavors on the palate. And you’ll see why this pizza is that perfect bite. It has texture and crunch, flavor complexity and just the right balance between sweet and savory.

It hits all the right notes, all at the same time and is absolutely delicious.

I have been desperately attempting to bring back my taste and smell I lost due to Covid. It was my first time getting this virus almost four years later, it hit us all in my family so hard. The recovery has been really rough and drawn out, with lingering issues. For me, the loss of taste and smell was very worrisome and frustrating. The hardest part for someone that loves to cook, is not being able to taste a thing. I was starting to panic! I tried every home remedy and outrageous hack out there, to no avail.

I was hungry! Hungry for flavor!

I wanted to create something easy and quick, yet complex and satisfying. I sat at my kitchen table, carefully and strategically thought of flavors I’d love to taste again and put them all into one recipe.

A pizza! A recipe with a mission to combine aromas, flavors and textures that would hopefully awaken my senses. Oh did it deliver!

It was truly love at first bite, like I was tasting for the very first time. I took the first bite and I could taste every single ingredient, its delightful and it got better and better with every bite.

I have never been more happy to eat in my life. It has been a humbling experience to say the least. One that I will use to bring myself back to a place of gratitude. Reminding myself every day, how extremely blessed I am to have all my senses and never to take them for granted. I am on the mend now, getting better slowly but surely and feeling inspired to cook again.

This pizza saved me, inspired me again and reminded me of how much I love what I do. How much I truly enjoy sharing my recipes with all of you.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and it makes you as happy and as it has made me.

Give this Fig & Arugula Flatbread Pizza a try. It’s fresh, sweet and savory, a great appetizer, summer lunch or light dinner. It has that certain elevated and impressive quality but is simple to make and made with fresh and in season ingredients, like figs, cheese and arugula.

It’s the perfect sweet, sharp and peppery bite that will deliver big flavors.

What is Flaky Salt?

Flaky salt has big individual pieces and has a flat like shape similar to a pyramid.

It serves more as a texture enhancer than a flavor enhancer, according to Whole Foods Market’s coordinator for global culinary development, Chef Amy Eubanks. She also shared with Self magazine that flaky salt has a crisp texture and is excellent for finishing touches, particularly when you want to add a salty bite to a food.

Where to Purchase Flaky Salt?

If your local market does not carry flaky salt, you can buy it at Walmart, Wholefoods Market, or on amazon.com.

Substitute for Flaky Salt

The best alternative to flaky salt would be Kosher Salt.

Will store bought pizza crust work fine?

Store bought flatbread, focaccia, Naan or pre made pizza crust will work best for this recipe. There is no need to make your own pizza dough, as I find that a thinner and crispier type of crust works best for this recipe.

Using a grill pan or griddle will help get the crust perfectly crispy and warm. You can also use an outdoor grill if you want to entertain outdoors. You can also use your oven but during these hot summer months, I try to keep the house cool and avoid turning it on.

Toasting the walnuts adds an extra layer of nutty flavor to this pizza, it is optional but worth the extra step. You can give them a quick and light toast on the griddle pan used to toast the pizza crust.

My Fig & Arugula Flatbread Pizza is special and unique and definitely not your average flatbread pizza. I hope you are inspired and awakened by the flavors!

Happy eating, from my little kitchen, to yours!

Fig & Arugula Flatbread Pizza

BY ERICA GAMBOA

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SERVES: 4 | Difficulty: Easy

PREP TIME: 10 minutes | COOK TIME: 5 minutes | TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 whole flatbread pizza crust, depending on the serving size.
4 oz. plain goat cheese, room temperature
Olive oil, a drizzle to taste
Honey, a drizzle to taste
Flaky salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 cups arugula, washed and dried
4 fresh figs, washed, dried and sliced
Balsamic glaze, to taste
2 tbsp blue cheese crumbles
2 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped, toasting is optional

Directions:

Prepping the Layers

Preheat your stovetop griddle on medium heat.
Toast the flatbread for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side until crispy. Turning it every now and then to avoid burning. If you need to cut the crust in half to fit onto the pan feel free to do so.
Remove the crust from the pan and place on a serving dish, pizza board or serving tray.
Spread the softened, room temperature goat cheese evenly over the entire surface of the flatbread crust in the desired amount.
Drizzle honey onto the goat cheese topping.
Sprinkle the honey with a little flaky salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Top with arugula, making a nice and even bed for the figs.
Assemble the figs onto the arugula.
Drizzle the figs with the balsamic glaze.
Sprinkle with a little more freshly ground pepper.
Top with blue cheese crumbles and walnuts.
Slice the pizza into squares or triangles, using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Take your time with this step, the crust should be nice and crispy and will require a little bit of pressure to cut through all the layers. You want each ingredient to keep its integrity and shape.
Serve immediately.

Tips

Remember that making a pizza has no exact measurements when it comes to the toppings. There is no right or wrong way to build your pizza. It’s a blank canvas with endless possibilities, feel free to add more or less of an ingredient or omit one completely. Below are approximate amounts for a whole pizza.

If you are making a pizza for two, I recommend using a whole pizza crust or if you are very hungry. If you want to make a light and quick snack or serving for one person, cut the recipe in half. An average flatbread pizza can be cut into 8 squares, that is 4 squares per person.

Substitutions:

Fresh figs, are not always easy to find. Their season is very short and if you do not have a farmers marker or a specialty grocery store in your area, you might miss them all together. Also, they are not for everyone; although this combination is spectacular, I can see how they can be an acquired taste for some people. If that is the case, don’t let that stop you from giving this recipe a try, with a few tweaks and substitutions this pizza can be whatever you want it be.

Here are a few substitutions I know will be amazing in this recipe.

Pizza Crust

Lavash, Focaccia, Naan, Pita Bread.

Cheeses

Herb Goat Cheese, Honey Goat Cheese, Cranberry Goat Cheese, Boursin Cheese, Camembert.

Fruits

Peaches, Pears, Plums, apples.

Greens

Spinach, Shredded Endive, Shredded Radicchio.

Nuts

Pistachios, Almonds, Pecans.

Nutrition Facts | Calories per serving – 401.98

SERVINGS: 4

Erica Gamboa is a passionate home cook, wife, and mother of three.

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About Erica

Erica Gamboa is a passionate home cook, wife, and mother of three. Cooking since she was 13 years old she…

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