Fresh Cranberry Balsamic White Pizza - #FreshCranFriday

Fresh cranberry white pizza with balsamic glaze and peppery arugula

Disclosure: This recipe is sponsored by the Cranberry Marketing Committee.

Pizza: it’s a food everyone can get behind. Feeling celebratory? Pizza. Feeling a bit meh and needing a night in? Pizza. I’m not saying pizza solves everything, but it’s a useful tool in life. While everyone has their absolute favorite pizza (New Yorkers, I see you), the concept of a pizza for a recipe is so broad it makes the possibilities endless. We’ve made quite a few pizza recipes on this blog and from season to season they change so much, just like the readily available ingredients. That’s what makes a good recipe great: listening to seasonality. So today, in celebration of another #FreshCranFriday, we’re making a fresh cranberry white pizza with balsamic glaze and peppery arugula. It’s salad and pizza combined. 

Today we’re using fresh cranberries as a topping. And sure, you could just slice them up and toss them on top, which was actually my original plan, but because cranberries are naturally quite tart, I recommend adding a little time and love before topping. We sautéed some chopped cranberries in olive oil, then tossed them in the balsamic reduction. They become dressing for the arugula and cut through the creaminess of the ricotta. Remember, we’re making white pizza. Cranberries definitely go with tomatoes (which is why you should make this country cranberry chili), but today they’re going to be an awesome complement for ricotta. 

Fresh Cranberry Balsamic White Pizza

Serving size: 5, 2-slice servings (yield: 1 pie, cut into 10 slices) 

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pizza dough
• 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• ½ cup rough chopped fresh cranberries
• ¾ cup whole-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken (garlic herb preferred) 
• 1 cup arugula

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rough circle. Place on a baking sheet. Poke dough with fork evenly across surface. 
3. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil evenly over top, using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to make sure the crust edge is coated. Bake approximately 15-20 minutes or until dough is browned and cooked. 
4. While pizza crust is baking, reduce balsamic vinegar on the stove by bringing vinegar and honey to a boil in a small pan. Turn on exhaust fan for vinegar odor. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8-10 minutes. 
5. Stir the vinegar occasionally as it simmers. The balsamic reduction will be ready when it has reduced by half or more, and the consistency is like syrup. 
6. While vinegar and pizza crust cook, rough chop fresh cranberries. Add to a small pan with ½ tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Sauté for five minutes, then remove from burner. 
7. Remove pizza crust from oven and spread ricotta cheese in an even layer, leaving the outer crust uncovered. Add chicken on top of ricotta. 
8. In a bowl, toss sautéed cranberries in balsamic reduction and sprinkle over pizza. Top with arugula. Slice into 10 pieces and serve. 

For more cranberry fun and recipes, check out the Cranberry Friendsgiving Photo Contest, running now until December 18, 2017!