There’s no better way to end the biggest apple month of the year when it falls on a Friday than with a savory pizza recipe using America’s most loved fruit. (Okay, so in the Nielson Perishables tracking of fruit sales, “berries” had the top fruit spot ahead of apples, but it is a flawed study since they grouped all berries together. That does not count from my perspective.) Apples are one of the most popular fruits in the world & 2nd most consumed fruit in the US, even though I think they should be ranked ahead of bananas since we can actually grow them in most of the US and we only grow bananas in a tropical state like Hawaii in our country. So, back to that most loved fruit on a pizza.
Most “pizza” recipes calling for apples are some sort of dessert pizza, made of cookie dough spread with sweetened cream cheese & topped with fruit. That’s not what this is. This is a savory main dish (or an appetizer) using those crisp & delicious fall apples that are in season & wonderfully juicy right now. It is autumn apples for our Friday night pizza. It is a great start to a fall weekend!
Caramelized Onion & Apple Flatbread
Caramelized Onion & Apple Flatbread (adapted from Midwest Living, Recipes for All-Seasons, Volume 4) Serves 6
Prep time: 30 minutes, Cook time: 15 minutes, Bake time: 18 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 2 ounces prosciutto, cut into pieces
- 1 small red apple
- 2/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- fresh thyme sprigs
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions to the skillet and cook them, covered for about 12 minutes or until they are tender. Stir them occasionally. Uncover the onions, raise the heat to medium-high and continue to cook them for another 3 – 5 minutes. Remove the onions from the heat and set them aside.
Caramelize the onions.
Preheat the oven to 450º F. Lightly coat a large cookie sheet with baking spray. Press the dough into the baking sheet, stretching it to all sides. Prick the dough generously all over. Bake the dough on the lowest rack of the oven for 8 minutes, until the dough is puffed and lightly crisped. Remove it from the oven.
Spread the dough onto a baking sheet and pre-bake it.
Core and thinly slice the apple while the crust is baking, but do not peel it. Layer the prosciutto, caramelized onions, apple slices, and cheese over the dough. Bake it for another 10 minutes more or until the crust is crispy and the cheese is melted.
Spread the prosciutto, caramelized onions, and apple slices over the dough.
Sprinkle the Swiss cheese on top of the pizza.
Garnish the flatbread with the fresh thyme sprigs. Serve immediately.
Add the thyme sprigs and serve!
This is a great fall pizza!
Apples add a sweet hit to this savory flatbread pizza! ~Linda
Caramelized Onion & Apple Flatbread (adapted from Midwest Living, Recipes for All-Seasons, Volume 4) Serves 6
Prep time: 30 minutes, Cook time: 15 minutes, Bake time: 18 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 2 ounces prosciutto, cut into pieces
- 1 small red apple
- 2/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- fresh thyme sprigs
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions to the skillet and cook them, covered for about 12 minutes or until they are tender. Stir them occasionally. Uncover the onions, raise the heat to medium-high and continue to cook them for another 3 – 5 minutes. Remove the onions from the heat and set them aside.
Preheat the oven to 450º F. Lightly coat a large cookie sheet with baking spray. Press the dough into the baking sheet, stretching it to all sides. Prick the dough generously all over. Bake the dough on the lowest rack of the oven for 8 minutes, until the dough is puffed and lightly crisped. Remove it from the oven.
Core and thinly slice the apple while the crust is baking, but do not peel it. Layer the prosciutto, caramelized onions, apple slices, and cheese over the dough. Bake it for another 10 minutes more or until the crust is crispy and the cheese is melted. Garnish the flatbread with the fresh thyme sprigs. Serve immediately.