Crave Wednesday: Pear and Prosciutto Pizza

That's it.  I'm calling it.  I'm ready for February to be over.  I know, that's rich coming from a spoiled little California girl who hasn't been buried in snow for weeks, but honestly, the past few weeks at work have been a whirlwind nightmare, Sunday night I was trudging out through the rain on a wild goose chase, and I'm dying for some fresh produce.

I always hit a certain point in the winter where I'm dying for fruit.  When that citrus craze that carries me through the previous months rescinds, leaving it its wake the need for something I can really sink my teeth into.  The berries are not quite there and the stonefruit is non-existent.  My search for apricots last weekend left me empty handed.  And the out of season fruit that is available is anemic at best.  So my solution for dealing with the lackluster fruit?  Cook it.  Winter pears may not have the zip and bite of their autumn counterparts, but throw them on a pizza and you'd never know.

Cooking fruit always brings their sweetness to the surface, and the texture issues of out of season fruit seem to melt right into whatever you're cooking them into.  Pear is a great addition to salads, which is what this pizza reminds me of.

Pear and Prosciutto Pizza

2 tsp olive oil

2 cups vertically sliced sweet onion

1 prebaked pizza crust

1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese

1 medium pear, thinly sliced

2 oz prosciutto, cut into thin strips

2 Tbsp chopped walnuts, toasted

1 1/2 cups arugula

1 tsp sherry vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 450.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion to pan; cover and cook 3 minutes.  Uncover and cook 10 minutes.
2. Place pizza crust on baking sheet.  Top with onions and sprinkle with cheese.
3. Top with pear and prosciutto.
4. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper.  Bake for 12 minutes.  
5. Sprinkle with nuts.
6. Place arugula in a medium bowl.  Drizzle vinegar over greens and toss gently.
7. Top pizza with arugula mixture.