Anchovies, goat cheese and figs aren't just toppings for salads - add this delicious combination on top of a scrumptiously crisp, thin crust pizza and you have a homemade gourmet pizza that everyone will be raving about!
What make this pizza so good?
- Its a salad-pizza! Imagine your favorite salad infused into a pizza. Every bite is an explosion of contrasts - salty anchovies, tangy goat cheese, sweet ripe figs, infused into melty mozzarella on a crackly thin crust pizza. Its a mash up of two glorious worlds! Homemade pizza just got a lot more fun.
- Prep is super simple - just use store bought pizza dough if you don't have any Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Dough in your freezer. You can also mix and match the ingredients based on what you have - some ideas are provided in the next section.
- Clean up is easy - you just need a baking sheet for this recipe!
Ingredients and substitutions
This salad-pizza mashup uses a little bit of several ingredients to create the layers and layers of flavor.
- Anchovies add a depth of flavor that is hard to duplicate. While anchovies come in various forms, this recipe is the kind that has been filleted, salt cured and is sold in olive oil. Because they have a very concentrated taste, I break up the rolled fillets before scattering them on the pizza so that every bite gets a tiny bit of anchovy. In a pinch, you can use capers, if you don't have any anchovies on hand.
- In this recipe, figs offer a sweet, fruity contrast to the tangy goat cheese and salty anchovies. Instead of fresh figs, I have used dollops of fig preserves - very thinly slices of apple or pear or red onion will work as well.
- Dried cranberries are a great substitute for the sweet/sour taste of currants which are not always in season. If neither are available a few dried chopped raisins will also do the trick.
How to make this pizza
The full instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom, however, here is a look of what's involved.
Tips for making pizza at home
(1) Keep the dough in the store bought bag in the deep freezer until ready to use.
(2) Defrost overnight in the refrigerator in the bag.
(3) For optimal results, let the dough sit out for at least an hour so it is at room temperature before stretching into the pizza base.
Yes - I've found that dough that is proofed for more than 72 hours requires less baking time.
Normally, I bake for 5 minutes on the bottom of the oven and 5 minutes on the middle rack. 72+ hour proofed dough requires 4 minutes on the bottom and 4 minutes on the top. Because many factors impact baking time, I would put the pizza on the bottom of the oven for about 4 minutes and then watch the pizza after about 2 minutes when it is on the middle rack.
It depends on the type of sauce and your preference. I use 2 tablespoons of typical store bought pizza sauce, for a typical 12 inch pizza. That's just enough to get the sauce to bake with all the other toppings to the right consistency. Adding too much makes the crust soggy. If you go with less dough e.g., if you wanted a super thin crust 12 inch pizza, reduce the amount of pizza sauce to 1 ½ tablespoons.
I use 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce for a typical 12 inch pizza. When you spread the sauce, there should be some spots that have a little more sauce and others. The amount of sauce should feel like a "smear" - an even layer on the pizza is too much.
No - I just use my old beat up baking sheet - the baking sheet makes it very easy to maneuver the pizza as I have a small kitchen and need something easy for high temperature cooking.
Absolutely! I do this all the time with great results- here is what you need to know:
(1) preheat your oven to the highest possible temperature (typically 500°F) and
(2) bake first on the bottom of the oven (not bottom rack) for about 5 minutes and
(3) then in the middle for about 5 minutes.
This technique helps simulate the results that you get from commercial pizza ovens which are able to reach temperatures ranging from 700-800°F .
Fun topping variations
We love homemade pizza because the topping combinations are endless! Below are some of our favorite combinations :
Shitake mushroom and Thyme
Anchovy, fig and pecorino pizza drizzled with balsamic reduction
Salmon, burrata, capers and red onion
Sweet clams, salty anchovies and roasted garlic
Finally, if you make this recipe..
I'd love to hear how it went - please leave a comment and rate this recipe. Above all, I love hearing from all of you and will do my best to answer each and every comment!
Anchovy, Goat Cheese & Fig Pizza Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Tray
Ingredients
- 1 pizza base homemade or store bought
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon pizza sauce
- ½ cup freshly grated romano
- ½ cup freshly shredded parmesan
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella
- ½ cup goat cheese divided
- 9 anchovies rolled and sliced
- 9 figs halved
- 2 tablespoon currants
- 1 cup arugula
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flakes
Instructions
- Rest the dough for at least an hour outside the refrigerator to bring the dough to room temperature before preparing the pizza
- Preheat oven to 500° F.
- Pour out the dough. Punch and press into a round shape. Stretch out the dough by rotating on your knuckles and letting gravity do the rest. Make sure the dough is stretched as evenly as possible. Press out as many of the bubbles as possible with your fingertips and mend holes by pressing the dough. Place the pizza onto a baking sheet (no flour dusting is necessary for the baking sheet.
- Add the toppings evenly on the pizza base in the following order: olive oil, pizza sauce, romano, mozzarella, figs, anchovies, goat cheese and parmesan.
- Put the pizza in the bottom of the oven. Bake for 6 minutes.
- Put the pizza in the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 6 minutes.
- Immediately garnish with arugula, goat cheese and currants. If you like the heat – some red chili flakes really hit the spot!
Video
Notes
- Assemble the pizza right before baking to avoid a soggy crust.
- If a hole appears in your dough, push it back in and seal the dough.
- Brush the entire dough surface with olive oil.
- Any part of the crust which is covered only with sauce with char and burn so sprinkle a little bit of grated romano or parmesan over the sauce.
- There is no need to dust the baking sheet with flour. However if like a bit of a crunchy, nutty texture - a little semolina on the bottom of the dough does wonders.
Nutrition
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Recipe yields approximately 8 servings. The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.
Shalini
I love anchovies but never had them on a pizza! This recipe is really interesting and I can't wait to try it out myself!
Lima
Do let me know what you think Shalini!
Michelle Boule
This pizza looks both beautiful and delicious! I can't wait to try it once figs are in season in my area again!
Lima
Thank you Michelle! It was awesome!
Neli Howard
I need to visit you ASAP so I can try this pizza joint! THANK YOU!
Lima
You are very kind! Thank you!
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain
The perfect pizza topping - the perfect balance of sweet and savory!
Lima
Thank you Marie!
Sara Welch
What a unique and unexpected pizza recipe! Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it does not disappoint! Delicious!
Lima
Thank you Sara! Glad to hear you guys liked it!
veenaazmanov
This is so unique and a delicious combination of ingredients. Perfect Pizza for my perfect family and I have to check this out.
Lima
Let me know what you think!
Tara
This pizza looks so good and I love how easily it comes together! Such an amazing combination of flavors and textures.
Lima
Thank you very much Tara!
Carrie Robinson
Homemade pizza is one of my favorite dinners to make! 🙂 And I am just loving the figs on this.
Lima
Thank you so much Carrie - I love figs on my pizza!
Claudia Lamascolo
I bet these flavors are fabulous with goat cheese, bold for sure!
Lima
Yes - it was gone pretty fast. Thank you!
Jo
This is my new favorite pizza recipe! I love all the flavors, It was so good!
Lima
Thank you so much! Thrilled that you like it!
Michelle
Such a beautiful and delicious pizza! Loved the contrast of flavours from the fig with the goat cheese 🙂
Lima
Thank you Michelle
Biana
Yum, yum! I love goat cheese and figs combination, and sounds like anchovy will add even more flavor to it. Looking forward to trying this pizza.
Lima
Do let me know what you think! Thank you Biana!
Kylie
Goats cheese and fig is a match made in heaven. The anchovies bring the perfect saltiness to an already awesome dish!
Lima
Thank you Kylie! I love the combination too!
Beth
This looks interesting and so delicious! So excited to give this a try! My family is going to love this!
Lima
Thank you Beth!
Nart at Cooking with Nart
I love the combination of the toppings. Who would have thought that anchovies, figs, currants and arugula would go so well?! Super delicious and will make this again.
Lima
Thrilled - thank you Nart!
Angela
This is so good! I love anchovies on pizza. And the sweet and salty combo is perfection!
Lima
Thank you Angela - thrilled that you like it!
Mirlene
Now this is my type of pizza to make. Looking forward to trying it for the family.
Lima
Awesome! Thanks
Cate
Wow this pizza looks incredible! Love all the colors and flavors, thanks for the recipe can't wait to try it!
Lima
Please let me know if you try it Cate - would love to hear what you think!
Pam
What a fantastic combination of flavors in this pizza. Beautiful too!
Lima
Thank you Pam! Glad you liked it!
Sharon
The toppings on this pizza melded perfectly together. Give pizza night an upgrade!
Lima
Thank you Sharon! Glad you liked it!
Kathryn
My anchovy loving husband would be all into this pizza! Bookmarking this to make him soon. looks AMAZING!
Lima
Ha ha! My husband loves anchovies too! Thank you!
Julia
Wow you have won me with anchovies and fig! Love both of these ingredients but never combined them in a pizza but this was so good! My go to pizza recipe now 😍
Lima
So thrilled - thank you so much Julia!
Jovita
This pizza looks amazing! I love that you combined anchovies with figs and goat cheese. Thank you for the recipe!
Lima
Awesome! Glad that you liked it!
Michele
Salty anchovies, sweet figs, and creamy goat cheese.... it's basically a pizza sent from heaven!
Lima
Thank you! It was awesome!