I feel like I should warn you guys. This week has a lot of balsamic going on.
Balsamic vinaigrette. Salad. Balsamic drizzle. Pizza.
And arugula.
I blame it on the weird weather. It was warm last week. Up in the 70’s warm. Then it got cold. Then it got super cold. Now it’s warm again. You’d think we were Denver, because that’s the only other place I’ve been where it snows on you one day and you can go swimming the next.
Either way, it has me feeling spring in a big way. Wanting greens and salads and freshness. Which to me calls for balsamic.
Arugula is the freshest thing you can get this time of year. So it only makes sense that I would toss it with some olive oil and some balsamic vinaigrette and some pine nuts and…
…throw it on a pizza.
Because yes, this time of year, I will most definitely bake a pizza loaded with lovely cheese and sauteed mushrooms and throw salad on top of it.
And drizzle all of it with a delicious balsamic reduction I don’t need a lot of excuses to make.
This isn’t the first time I’ve put salad on a pizza, so let me tell you, it’s delicious. You get the best of both worlds. Cheesy goodness, lovely veggie goodness, and healthy freshness.
Don’t take my word for it, try it out and let me know what you think!
Mushroom Burrata Pizza with Balsamic Drizzle
Serves 4.
What You’ll Need:
For the dough:
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour + more as needed
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the toppings:
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 oz burrata cheese
- 2 cups fresh arugula
- 1 tbsp valsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
For the Balsamic drizzle:
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
How to Make It:
1. Start with the pizza dough. In a large bowl, combine the water and yeast. Mix, and let sit and rise about 10 minutes.
2. Add in 1 cup flour and 1 tbsp olive oil, stirring until the dough becomes a sticky ball.
3. Flour a working surface. Using your hands, work in the additional 1/2 cup of flour, and add more as needed until the texture is to your liking. The ball should be stretchy but not sticky, but don’t use too much flour. I personally like a very thin crust with this pizza.
4. Rub the inside of a bowl with olive oil, and place the ball of dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 90 minutes.
5. Let’s make the drizzle. In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 15 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced by half. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl, and let cool.
6. Pizza time! Preheat your oven to 400F. Lightly grease a pizza pan with olive oil or, if you’re using a baking sheet, lightly grease or cover with parchment paper.
7. Set a large skillet on medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and let heat. Cook the mushrooms over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are slightly softened and browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and remove from heat.
8. Lightly flour a working surface. Roll out the pizza dough using your hands or a rolling pin until you have a flat working pie. Place on your baking sheet of choice and form the dough into the desired shape.
9. Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over the pizza dough. Add the chopped basil, garlic, and half of the Parmesan evenly over the pizza dough. Sprinkle the mushrooms over this base layer, break up the burrata between the mushrooms, and cover with the rest of the Parmesan.
10. Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and crispy and the cheese is melted.
11. While the pizza is cooking, toss the arugula with 1 tbsp olive oil, the pine nuts, 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until the pizza is done.
12. Remove the pizza from the oven and spread arugula over the top of the pizza. Sprinkle with a little more Parmesan cheese and drizzle the Balsamic glaze over the top.
13. Serve and enjoy!
Pairing Suggestion: Portabello mushrooms are a nice meaty mushroom, and with the Balsamic, this pizza goes very well with a robust Zinfandel.
How are you all managing those spring cravings?
