Naan Pizza with Goat Cheese, Balsamic Roasted Figs & Onion

I was ecstatic when I found the fresh Brown Turkish Figs.  They come in only for a week and for the past few years I have missed that time and we never saw another fresh fig…

other than those  in my yard. And they have not ripened. Except for only three of them.

So when I found the last few packs of these figs, I did not wait. I just got all of them home. I wanted to do so much with them and also have them fresh, for they are at their best bitten into the red seedy inside, all ripe and tender.

Last summer when we planted the little fig tree at the corner of our back yard, we had many hopes: of fresh harvest, of pink on the inside juicy ripe figs and a million things we could do with it. We have been earnestly watching the few figs that the plant had. The tiny one foot has grown to something I have to look up to – tall and branched. But one day after another of the entire summer went by with nothing but figs tough and green. Not a tinge of color.

I was disgruntled.

Until I found these Turkish Brown Figs. We had the fresh figs to our hearts content. The kids do not like them. So it was just A and me, who relished them to the fullest. With the few left overs we had, I grilled them to have with saffron yogurt.

The rest were used to top a quick grilled Naan pizza. This was my lunch. I had the Naan dough already done and resting for our dinner. I quickly made a Naan on the stove top grill and here is the delicious flatbread pizza.

Naan Pizza with Goat Cheese, Balsamic Roasted Figs & Onion

 

Ingredients: serves 1

1. 1 Naan – 8 inch (homemade or store bought; alternatively any flat bread may be used)
2. goat cheese (I have used herbed cheese here and very little) – as much as you want
3. fresh figs (about 6 -8 large figs per one naan – or as many as you want)
4. 1/2 cup sliced onion, packed (pref. red onion) – for one naan
5. 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar (for 6 figs and 1/2 cup onion)
6. olive oil
7. 2-3 teaspoons raw sugar (demerarra or turbinado or brown sugar)
8. sea salt or any coarse salt to taste
9. fresh rosemary sprigs or any herb you want to use
10. crushed red pepper (optional)

 

Method:

Use store bought or home made Naan (recipe linked to above in the ingredient list).

Peel and slice onions. Combine a small splash of balsamic vinegar, half tablespoon of olive oil, some chopped rosemary and salt  in a  bowl; drizzle over the onion slices and toss well to coat. Arrange onions in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast until softened and slightly charred, about 15 minutes or until done, stirring every few minutes.

Alternatively, the onions may be cooked on a skillet. Heat a cast iron or any heavy bottom skillet and cook the onions (tossed as mentioned above, in olive oil, balsamic etc) in medium to high heat until they start to caramelize and turn light golden.

Set the cooked onions aside.

Whisk the rest of the balsamic vinegar, some chopped herbs and sugar. In a pan simmer the mix until it thickens a little, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cut the figs in half and brush the figs with the balsamic glaze. Place the figs on the grill and cook for a couple of minutes. They will soften a little bit, but not mush up.

Brush some olive oil on the naan. Place it on the grill to warm it up. Or even a skillet will do. Combine finely chopped rosemary, crushed pepper with goat cheese and spread the cheese on the naan. Top it with the caramelized onions, herbs and figs. Bake at 350F for about 5 minutes. If there is any leftover balsamic and sugar reduction mix, you may drizzle it on the pizza. But it is optional.

Serve right away.

 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes – 45 minutes

Difficulty Level: Easy

Serves: 1

Related Posts:

• Ladenia: Pizza from a Greek Island
• Poppy Seed Crusted Tomato and Onion Tart
• Okonomiyaki aka “Japanese Pizza”
• The Perfect Pizza Margherita
• Farinata with Grilled Vegetables
• Grilled Vegetable and Hummus Tart
• Sesame and Balsamic Glazed Asparagus Cranberry Tart for Tongue Ticklers
• Hakka Noodles
• Hummus Stuffed Pita with Roasted Vegetables