Cherry “Pie” {Pizza Pie!}
Can I just tell you guys that I felt like the funniest person in the world when I came up with the idea for using cherries as a pizza topping and realized that I could still call it cherry pie (as in pizza pie). Man, I was really cracking myself up about the whole thing. I thought I was pretty hilarious. Others around me did not seem to appreciate my humor as much as I did…..
Let’s talk about what’s on this pie. First up, caramelized onions with balsamic vinegar and fresh rosemary. Yum. Then two types of cheese: brie and crumbled gorgonzola. You can’t go wrong with either of those. And of course, the cherries. Sweet, soft and juicy. Finally, a sprinkling of fresh basil seals the deal.
Savory, sweet and the perfect (albeit unexpected) way to enjoy the bounty of summer cherries.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the dough
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 1/4 cups cherries, stemmed and pitted
- 7 ounces brie cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
Instructions
- If you are using store bought dough (or if your homemade dough has been chilling), remove it from the refrigerator and place it on your counter top to allow it to come to room temperature. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. If you are using a pizza stone, warm your pizza stone in the oven for about 20 minutes. If you don’t have a pizza stone, a large baking sheet dusted with cornmeal will work great (no need to pre-heat it).
- While your oven is pre-heating, caramelize the onions. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and the rosemary. Cook for about 1-2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and set aside. Cut the cherries in half and set aside.
- On a well floured surface, roll out your pizza dough until it is roughly a 12-inch circle (or whatever shape you can get it – as you can see from my photos I’m not good at making circles!). Carefully transfer the dough to your warmed pizza stone or baking sheet. Brush the surface of the dough with a layer of olive oil (I used between 1 and 2 tablespoons). Bake in your pre-heated oven for 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the dough from the oven (if there are any bubbles in the dough, gently pat them down to flatten them). Arrange the sliced brie cheese in a single layer over the dough. Top with the caramelized onions, the cherries and the gorgonzola cheese. Transfer the pizza back to your pre-heated oven and bake for an additional 11-13 minutes. The cheese should be melted and the crust should be starting to brown. Remove from the oven and allow the pizza to rest for 5-10 minutes. Top with the fresh basil. Cut into 8 slices and serve immediately.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Notes
1. Placing the brie cheese in your freezer for 5-10 minutes will make it easier to slice.
