Fruit pizza toppings add a whole new flavor dimension
Hawaiian Pizza and its variations broke the mold years ago, combining sweet, tart pineapple with savory, salty ham to create a menu favorite across the country. While pineapple has become a mainstay on many pizzerias’ toppings lists, there is a world of fruits just waiting to find their way onto your pizzas.
Mango, cranberries, apples, cherries, figs, avocados and even watermelon might be just what you’re looking for to ignite a wave of enthusiasm from your customers. Watermelon, for instance, may seem like an odd pizza topping. But when Executive Chef Jason Sondgroth at Paesanos in Sacramento, California, paired watermelon with prosciutto, feta and a balsamic reduction, it became a wonderland of palatable sensations.
He says he wanted to create something that was reminiscent of a picnic. It became an instant hit, along with another creation: the Gorgonzola & Fuji Apple Pizza with olive oil, garlic, caramelized onions, spinach and mozzarella. If you are already offering fruit-based, house-made desserts, it’s as easy as creating a crave-able pizza, making those fruits available on the pizza line and training your pizza maker to get the right formula down and your servers to entice adventurous diners. What should you think about when it comes to incorporating fruit on pizza?
The flavor combination is key. It’s a balancing act, according to co-owner and chef Brandon Case of Peel Wood Fired Pizza in Edwardsville, Illinois. Working with co-owner Patrick Thirion, Case says, “we like to pair the sweet and savory together and the hot and cold together.” For some pies, the fruit is baked right in, while for others, Case says, chilled fruit is used as a garnish. Either way, Case says the options enhance Peel’s menu offerings and carry a similar food cost to many of the other vegetables his restaurant uses.
Last fall, the Crème de Brie Pizza debuted on Peel’s menu with prosciutto, Granny Smith apples, Brie cheese and fresh sage. Case says it’s a lighter style pizza that customers responded so well to that it will stay on the menu through the next cycle this year. Peel introduces many of its fruity concoctions through its chef’s specials, like the Wood Fired Chicken and Strawberry Pizza. The slightly smoky flavor of the chicken really pairs well with the strawberries, as well as many other fruits, Case says. John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, experiments often with various fruits. He finds they hold several benefits. “Fruit is a champion because it acts as a palate cleanser, flavor enhancer and intensifies savory flavors all at the same time,” he says. When looking for the right accompaniment to fruit, Gutekanst says, consider the following meats:
prosciutto
bacon
pancetta
guanciale
“These go great as long as you have a perfect combo of additional strong, sharp and ‘stinky’ flavors,” Gutekanst says. He suggests:
gorgonzola
Stilton
Taleggio
aged Manchego
To enhance the texture, Gutekanst suggests giving the pizza a little nutty crunch with walnuts, almonds, pecans or cashews. Vegetables like arugula, spinach, sunflower sprouts and watercress can add an extra bite. Using fruit on pizza does result in one baking issue: water. “Baking is always a challenge with water,” Gutekanst says. “That’s why I prefer to use dried fruit and rehydrate in hot water.” Gutekanst says rehydrating is easy — plus dried fruit is packed with flavor. “The best thing is that this gives you double intensity of dried fruit and a limper, more digestible fruit,” he says, adding that he buys bags of dried mango, blueberry, cherry and cranberry and rehydrates them overnight. Is your mouth watering yet with the flavor combinations available? Experiment with an original pizza in your shop. It may hit big.
John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, says “I’ve been turning to fruit more and more these days as a complimentary or juxtapositional flavor, especially for salty and spicy pizza toppings.” He has created numerous insatiable pizzas that incorporate a variety of fruits. Try this sweet and spicy pizza:
1 dough ball
1 medium to large onion
3 chipotle peppers from a can with adobo sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dried blueberry
5-8 leaves of raddichio del Traviso (regular raddichio will do in a pinch) slice thin or thick depending on what you like
1 rasher of thick-cut bacon, cut into thin batons
5-7 ounces of fresh curd torn into chunks
Toss onions with olive oil in oven proof pan. Tear the chipotle peppers up and add to the pan with a small amount of adobo sauce (1 tablespoon). Heat in the oven for 12 to 16 minutes, tossing halfway to incorporate flavors. Remove from oven and toss dried blueberries, then put back in oven for 5 minutes until onions are limp. Remove and toss again, then put into a small container and cover to let the blueberries rehydrate with the steam.
Place chipotle mix on the dough, then place the sliced raddichio, the bacon and the fresh curd. Bake.
Eureka Pizza Company Yorba Linda, California Concept: We started in Seward, Alaska, considered as the “Gateway” to the Gold Discovery Regions. It still celebrates itself as the Last and Great Frontier! “Eureka” is translated from the Greek as
Seven Breakout Pizzeria Pros to keep an eye on in 2022 Tara Hattan (25) Zasa’s Pizza & Wings — Tulsa, Oklahoma @ zasaspizza What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next l
Last month, our guide to opening a new store in a hurry was all about what to do before you had the keys to the front door (quick reminder: plan, plan, plan). This month, the deal is finalized, the keys are in your hands — and the fun begins. Openi
Lightning Fast Whether your pizzeria has four wheels, is a takeout joint, fast-casual concept, or a full-service establishment, you must provide timely service. Although timely has a different meaning in each of these concepts, speed of service begin
The Whole Truth Today’s society is obsessed with diet culture and trying to find the healthiest option for everything. Walking into the bread department of any grocery store is one of the most confusing and frustrating decisions of any grocery trip
Inflation Nation Over the last two years, the Ohio-based Donatos Pizza chain has captured record sales, opened new restaurants, expanded its presence in Red Robin restaurants and welcomed a host of new franchise partners. But it isn’t all rosy for
We’ve all had that moment when it feels like the rug has been pulled out from beneath our feet. It happened to me last week in the form of a text message: “Luzzo’s has closed.” Besides having some excellent pizza and a staff that had been the
Right around the year 1600, William Shakespeare penned one of his most famous plays. “Hamlet” is one of the great literary tragedies, and one of its most-quoted lines remains oft-used today: “To thine own self be true.” When distilled to its
Crafted Cocktail Menus: That’s the Spirit If you offer a full bar, that’s because you’ve realized the benefit of a complete cocktail menu. While there is nothing wrong with beer and wine only, getting into the full-dining and happy hour spi