Fall is definitely my favorite season. I know there’s a lot to be said for spring especially coming out of a long hard winter. But Autumn in all its glory, just can’t be surpassed. Apples are coming into season, no matter how you like them there’s an apple for you, crisp, sweet, tart, and oh so juicy!
Spending most of my life in the New Jersey, I’ve been spoiled by all of the wonderful produce we have available, and this time of year as we see the last of the summer crop at the market, the fall selections are taking their place. Winter squash in so many shapes, and colors, pumpkins of all sizes, sweet potatoes, pears and my favorite apples….sigh
Spending my early childhood in Texas, I grew up loving apple butter, and unless you’re making it yourself the only name I trust is Musselman’s, and you’ll always find a jar or two in my pantry. After all what’s a biscuit without apple butter? It has been finding it’s way into different dishes, and Lisa jokingly suggested I use it for a pizza, and the more I thought about it the better it started to sound!
I didn’t want to make a dessert pizza, I wanted a savory pizza , one with a blend of complex flavors…..a tribute to fall and everything I love about it. So I started testing. I went through a variety of tomato products trying to find just the right one, but it was worth it. If you’re expecting a traditional style pizza, you’re not going to be happy. But for that fall afternoon, when the weather has turned a little cool and you need sweater, my apple butter pizza will be a just what the doctor ordered, as you celebrate the season!
- 3 cup ½ all-purpose flour 420 g
- 1 cup ¼ water 300 ml
- 1 tsp ¾ . active dry yeast 9 g
- 1 tsp ¼ . sugar 6 g
- 1 tsp ¾ . sea salt 9 g
- 1 tbsp . olive oil 15 ml
- cup ½ Mussleman’s Apple Butter 120 ml
- cup ½ Contadina Tomato Paste with Italian herbs 120 ml
- ½ tart apple –sliced thin I used Gala
- cup ½ gorgonzola cheese 113 g
- cup ½ baby arugula leaves 10 g
- 2 tbsp . toasted pine nuts 30 g
- In your stand mixer bowl, add 1 ¼ cups of warm water (100 -105 degrees F or 38-40 C)
- Sprinkle dry active yeast and sugar on top of water, allow to sit for 10 minutes until yeast gets creamy
- In another bowl, mix flour with sea salt
- Add flour to yeast mixture and using a dough hook, mix until a coarse ball has formed on the dough hook (approx., 2-3 minutes)
- Allow dough to rest in bowl, with a damp towel covering the bowl, for 5 minutes.
- Continue to mix using dough hook on medium to low speed for about 2 more minutes
- (if the dough is too sticky to hold its shape add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until its firm enough. If the dough is too dry add water one tablespoon at a time until moist enough)
- Coat a bowl with extra virgin olive oil and place the dough into the bowl and coat dough with olive oil, place a damp kitchen towel over the bowl and allow to rise for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Divide dough into 2 dough balls and place on a floured surface and cover with a damp kitchen towel (not terry) and allow to rise until doubled in size (about 2 hours)
- Form dough into 12-14 inch pizza (free form) placing on pizza peel or cookie sheet .
- I used a pizza stone on my grill (my grill goes to 650 degrees when closed), you can make the pizza in a household oven if you like, just increase the time and set your oven to 450. Preheat your oven 20 minutes before you are ready to use it
- Mix apple butter and tomato paste together to make your pizza sauce
- Spread apple butter pizza sauce on your formed dough
- Place sliced apples randomly on top of sauce
- Use ½ of gorgonzola cheese, sprinkle on top of your pizza (try to hit the apples with some of the cheese)
- Bake until bottom of pizza crust is browned 5-6 minutes in a grill 11-14 in your oven
- Remove pizza from oven and top with baby arugula leaves and the remainder of the gorgonzola crumbles, and toasted pine nuts.
- Cut into slices and serve immediately with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and crushed red peppers if you like a little heat on your pizza.
Remember to take some time to enjoy the season. Share a cup of hot cider with a friend or loved one, take a walk through the park and marvel at the wonders of nature as the leaves change to the colors of fall right before our eyes……. Time passes much to quickly my friends, don’t hurry it along, stop and enjoy the moment.
Oh man, that looks delicious. I’m a fan of Musselman’s too and I love all the other elements of this pizza. What a perfect fall meal.
Love this! What a gorgeous fall pizza.
What a creative way to try apple butter – apples, gorgonzola, and arugula all go together.
Oh my lordy! THat’s a pizza I want to have all day long!!
What a scrumptious pizza, I love it!
Hi Chef Dennis….I don’t mind having this for lunch. I am drooling for it is my lunch time now 🙂 Looks delish ! Have a great day .
Regards,
Elin
Ohhhh…chef, that looks gorgeous…..I got a bottle of apple butter just yesterday and am definitely gona try this 🙂 Thanks for posting!
Mj
When I first saw the title I thought sweet pizza. I love how you made it savory and with the gorgonzola cheese. Would be great as a flatbread appetizer too.
What a great idea for the Musselman’s apple butter jar I have right now! Must try this one. Thanks for sharing, Chef Dennis! Have a terrific fall season 🙂
I think you have created a masterpiece!
Just picked a bag full of pears with plans to make pear preserves and butter. I’ll save a little pear butter to make a rendition of this pizza. And just made some tomato paste for the first time. Perfect! Thanks for the “slow down and enjoy the season” reminder 😉
Wow, this looks really good! Love the addition of gorgonzola, one of my favs!
Wow Chef! What an amazingly creative pizza! I love everything about it, those flavors probably merry so well on that crust. YUM!
Love this…I have a similiar recipe coming up soon! Apple butter is pretty much the best stuff on earth!
Fall is also my favorite season, even though we don’t really get it here where I am. I don’t think there is a prettier sight than leaves changing color. This pizza has some of my very favorite ingredients on it so it looks like it is time to fire up the grill.
This recipe looks and sounds just fantastic. It would never have occurred to me combine these flavors on a pizza. I love your original recipes, Chef Dennis. You continually come up with the most wonderful flavor combos. Love your blog, as always!
Dennis, your photos look like fall during these transitional weeks — from green to color — the best of both. What a marvelous creation!