A lot of times my recipe ideas aren’t really recipe ideas but flavor combinations that I just can’t get out of my head. This recipe is a perfect example. For days, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I wanted to make something with caramelized onions, apples, and gorgonzola cheese. I didn’t care what the recipe turned out to be, but it had to include those ingredients.
As you have probably already figured out, after a few days of letting those ingredients marinate together in my mind, I finally settled on using them as toppings for a pizza. I already had some pizza dough in the fridge (I always make enough for two pizzas so that I have leftovers for another night!), so it was an easy lunch one day last week when both my husband and I really needed some tasty food to distract us from the mess in our basement (flooding… it’s not fun).
Balsamic Onion, Apple, and Gorgonzola Pizza
(Makes one large pizza)
- Dough for one large pizza, at room temperature
(1/2 of the recipe for my favorite pizza dough) - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium red onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
- 1 green apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll the pizza dough out onto a piece of parchment (or spread it out in a pizza pan or baking sheet if you don’t plan on baking it on a stone). Let the dough rest while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onions, and saute until the onions are tender and somewhat translucent. Reduce the heat slightly, add the Balsamic vinegar, and continue to cook the onions for an additional 10 – 15 minutes until they are beginning to caramelize (the Balsamic vinegar speeds this up a bit!) and are a rich reddish-brown color.
Spread the onions out over the prepared pizza dough. Arrange the apple slices on top of the onion layer and sprinkle with the gorgonzola cheese. Bake for about 14 – 15 minutes, until the cheese is slightly golden and the crust is done.
this pizza has my name all over it.
That looks simply AMAZING! I need it…
I love this flavor combination, Jen. I’m exactly the same way. What I really love is that a lot of times, I’ll throw a couple ingredients at James and say “Okay, now what are we going to make?”, and he comes up with a few ideas of his own. Typically that sends me down categories of food I might not have considered before. That happened the other day with a Halloween project. I was planning cupcakes, he sent me down the English trifle route, and it turned out *amazing*. Don’t you love it when inspiration strikes??
P.S. You are required to make this pizza when Tracy and I visit you.
This sounds (and looks) really tasty Jen. I love how you say that ingredients marinate in your head. It works well for you and your flavor combination is awesome.
That is gorgeous Jen! Yum yum yum :)
Wow, that sounds like a wonderful flavor and texture combination! I love sweet and savory. Yum!!
This is an amazing combination and no doubt that pizza was delicious.
Wow, I never would have thought to put these flavors together, but the combination sounds amazing! And, I second Amber, you are of course going to have to make this when we come. ;-)
this looks soooo appetizing! I think you just inspired my next meal.
Oh wow, caramelized onions are my kryptonite! Your pizza looks fantastic, I need to keep this flavor combo in mind next time Shane isn’t around for dinner :)
Those are some great ingredients. I love the way caramelized onions and blue cheese go together.
Mmmm – looks so delicious!! Hope the cleanup from the flooding isn’t too painful…
What a delightful pizza to welcome autumn. I am looking forward to a trip to the apple orchard. I am sure I will return home with too many apples and this pizza recipe will be a lovely way to savor my bounty.
A delicious pairing of ingredients. Looks scrumptious!
Spectacular Jen – what a GREAT way to combine those flavours!