Roquefort pizza with pear, honey and almonds
Roquefort and fresh pear is a classic pairing and makes an excellent topping for a sweet/savoury pizza to serve at the end of a meal, as a cheese or dessert course. Another firm-textured blue cheese that is not too overpowering could be substituted for the Roquefort.
SERVES 6–8
For the dough
10g fresh yeast
185ml tepid water
325g ‘type 55’ flour, plus extra for dusting
12g fine sea salt
12ml light olive oil
For the topping
150g Roquefort, ideally not too ripe or soft
60g thin honey
2 pears, not too ripe
A squeeze of lemon juice
1 clove, crushed with the flat of a knife, then very finely chopped
30g chopped almonds, lightly toasted
To make the pizza base, dissolve the yeast in the water in a small bowl. Put the remaining ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the yeast mixture and mix for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, bring the dough from the sides to the middle and mix again until the dough is smooth and homogeneous. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume.
Preheat the oven (non-fan) to 200°C/Gas 6.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and ‘knock back’, using one hand to fold the dough back in on itself until the air is knocked out and the dough is returned to its original size.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a circle, 28cm in diameter. Flour lightly, then wrap it around the rolling pin and unravel onto a baking sheet. Using your fingertips dipped in a little flour, push the dough outwards to stretch it into a thin, even disc.
For the topping, cut the Roquefort into roughly 1cm cubes and place in a bowl. Trickle over the honey and turn gently to coat. Arrange the pieces of Roquefort evenly over the dough base.
Peel, halve and core the pears then cut into roughly 1cm pieces and place in a bowl. Spritz with the lemon juice, to prevent them discolouring, then sprinkle with the clove and mix gently. Arrange the pear on the pizza base, between the pieces of Roquefort.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then scatter over the almonds and bake for a further 3 minutes. Slide the pizza onto a wire rack and leave to cool a little, for a minute or two. Cut into slices to serve.