Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza

June 16, 2021

Pizza: is there a more delicious, versatile and much-loved dish in the culinary world? Super easy to make at home and offering the perfect opportunity to get creative and express yourself, the Italian staple can be adapted to suit all tastes. But, few topping combinations get our stomachs rumbling as much as pear and Gorgonzola.

Not convinced? Well, there’s just something about the simple but effective mix of sweet, fresh pear and strong, salty Italian cheese. Don’t you dare listen to anyone who says that fruit has no place on top of a pizza; this is the most wonderful pairing imaginable.

Keep reading for how to master this unique dish at home. Your homemade pizza nights are about to become the stuff of legends...

What exactly is Gorgonzola?

Decadent, rich and streaked with delicate blue veins, Gorgonzola is a rather handsome looking cheese that often takes pride of place on a cheeseboard.

Its creamy centre also makes it an excellent choice for cooking, and while it’s known as being one of mildest blue cheese variations, an aged Gorgonzola can still boast a very strong and distinct taste.

Commonly used in creamy risottos and pastas (and pizzas of course), this very special cheese continues to be crafted using traditional methods that have been passed down through generations. For instance, Italian producers still pierce the rind of each cheese with dozens of steel needles to encourage the formation of its distinct marbled appearance.

Key ingredients

As with all good Italian cooking, choosing quality ingredients is an absolute must.

Plus, in order to create a light, soft base that’s just as good as the ones served in the region’s finest Italian restaurants, you’ll need to make your dough from scratch.

To start the foundation for your dish, we recommend using Molini Pizutti All-Purpose Flour, a timeless product with multiple uses that has been crafted in the character-filled city of Naples, Italy, for the last 50 years. Meanwhile, La Courvina Olive Oil, containing 100-percent Italian olives, will give your dough an authentic feel and a beautiful, subtle flavour.

You should give a lot of thought to your toppings too. We find that Galbani’s rich and powerful Gorgonzola Invernizzi Cheese and gorgeous, creamy Mozzarella work wonderfully together, with the latter beautifully counteracting the former’s powerful punch.

For your pears, it’s vital that they are only just ripe. If they’re overly ripe they’ll be too mushy, and if they’re still too hard they won’t taste sweet enough.

What can I serve it with?

If you really want to make an impression on your dinner guests, or treat yourself to an extra tasty weekend treat, there are lots of ways of jazzing up your finished pizza.

For extra sweetness, try adding a few chopped figs and a drizzle of honey. Or, for a more sweet and sour finish, a swirl of balsamic vinegar or red onion chutney will bring a nice splash of colour to your finished masterpiece.

In terms of sides, we recommend a crispy, fresh side salad, and perhaps some juicy olives and assorted antipasti.

Top tips from our chef

Make sure you preheat your oven and pizza tray well in advance. Pizza should take only a matter of minutes to cook, so it’s essential that your oven is very hot before it goes in.

Remove your dough from the fridge about half an hour before you bake it - cold dough is harder to shape and roll out.

Slice your fresh mozzarella very finely and let it dry out in a sieve or on a towel for a while before adding it to your pizza. This will stop the base from becoming wet or soggy.

Transfer your cooked pizza to a baking rack rather than a hard surface, this will help the base stay pleasantly crispy as it cools.

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