Pizza with Figs, Prosciutto, Gorgonzola, and Arugula

After a bit of a hiatus from the kitchen, this week I decided to break in our new pizza stone with a recipe that utilizes, of all things, arugula. I have really been in love with the arugula from the farmers' market this spring and summer, so I was glad to come across this fancy, but deceptively easy, way to use my latest bunch.

The recipe for Pizza with Figs, Prosciutto, Gorgonzola, and Arugula is from the August issue of Bon Appetit magazine, and it is quick enough even for a weeknight meal (it doesn't include making the crust from scratch, which helps, though one certainly could do just that if one were so inclined). I used a very good balsamic, and found that the sweet musky flavor of the balsamic, as well as the figs, nicely balanced out the saltiness of the prosciutto. The spicy arugula also made a great foil for the rich Gorgonzola. For this reason, I can't stress enough how important I think it is to eat the pizza with the arugula on top, as suggested in the recipe. This pizza is really about the whole package. Incidentally, it was great the next day for lunch too.

The recipe for Pizza with Figs, Prosciutto, Gorgonzola, and Arugula can be found at epicurious.com

Note that while I'm sure the fig balsamic really ties the whole pizza together, it's probably unnecessary. I used a good regular balsamic and the result was still quite delicious.