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Brie pizza with pear pecan and pesto

Brie pizza with pear pecan and pesto

Prep 1 hrs 20 mins 4 servings

Do you want to know how to make Brie pizza with pear, pecan and pesto? Look no further! This is your ultimate recipe.

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ingredients

Dough Ingredients

  • 140 g wholemeal flour (bread)
  • 140 g 00 flour
  • 4 pinches salt
  • 16 g dried baking yeast
  • splash olive oil
  • 240 ml water

Pesto Ingredients

  • 100 g spinach
  • 2 bunch fresh basil (60g)
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 60 g pecan nuts
  • 120 g olive oil
  • 60 g Castello® Mature cheddar
  • pinch of salt and peppers to taste

Toppings

  • Castello® Brie (200g)
  • 1 pear
  • 10 pecan nuts
  • 12 halved orange cherry tomatoes
  • rocket leaves to garnish

preparation

Brie pizza with pear pecan and pesto

With great ingredients comes great taste and our recipe for Brie pizza with pear, pecan and pesto proves that like no other. Given flavour from a homemade pesto of fresh bouquets of basil, a handful of pecans, Castello Matured Cheddar and spinach, this fruity cheese pizza enjoys added toppings of soft white cheese, crescent cut pear and orange cherry tomatoes to boot. Homemade from top to bottom our easy-to-follow recipe ensures effortless preparation and slices of feel-good food every time around. Perfect for a spring-time dinner with friends and family or as a delightful indulgence at a dinner for two – enjoy!

Method:

Pizza Dough: 1. To make the pizza dough, combine both flours in a large mixing bowl with the salt and yeast.

2. Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil and almost all of the tepid water (The water should feel just warm – if it is too hot, it may kill off the yeast).

3. Bring the liquid and flour together, adding just enough additional tepid water to make a soft dough that comes together without it being sticky, leaving the bowl clean.

4. Dust the work surface with 1 tablespoon of the extra flour and start to knead the dough.

5. Using the heel of your hands, roll the dough away from you, pressing down firmly as you do so, then bring the dough back towards you and repeat with the other hand, so you are rolling the dough back and forth, alternating your hands as you roll.

6. Knead for 3–4 minutes until the dough feels soft, springy and elastic.

7. If you prod the dough, the indentation should spring back lightly.

8. Return the dough to the mixing bowl and cover with cling film.

9. Leave to rise for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size and then split into two parts.

10. For the pesto add the spinach, basil, garlic, pecans, cheddar and seasoning to a food processor and pulse a few times.

11. Scrape down the sides and continue to process while adding the olive oil until fully incorporated.

12. Taste to check the seasoning.

13. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.

14. Once the dough is ready place on a lightly floured surface and shape out to a pizza shape either with your hands in a circular motion or with a rolling pin.

15. Top with the pesto, Pecans, sliced pear, cherry tomatoes and chunks of the cheese.

16. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the colour of the crust is golden brown.

17. Once cooked season with freshly cracked black pepper and top with rocket.

Serving Suggestion

Serving Suggestion

Nuzzled on a side of freshly made green pesto, caramelised slices of pear along sweet cherry tomatoes and baked pecans make up most of the toppings that garnish our savoury pizza recipe. Sweet notes of fruit and roasted nuts act as counterbalance to herbaceous hints from the pesto and together flavours flourish in a soft yet satisfying finish. A wholemeal crust adds a final layer of delicate texture and flavour. Lastly, our recipe calls for additional dimensions of flavour in the form of nothing but rich cheese. As the focal point of most pizzas, the perfect cheese offers counterbalance to already established flavours while simultaneously providing new ones of its own. It is a constant pursuit of finding the right combinations of flavour and texture when matching cheeses with fresh and soft ingredients like our green pesto, meaning that going for one that is too strong would create an imbalance, possibly oversaturating the flavours from the pizza. In the search of the perfect match, we chose our Castello Extra Creamy Brie for a concentration of smooth consistency and gentle profile of flavour. Having earthy notes of mushroom and cream, it serves to naturally boost the characteristics of its surroundings while also adding substance in depth and texture. Mingling with sweet tones from caramelised fruit and vibrant herbs, it delivers a toothsome experience worth savouring with friends and family.

Tips & Tricks

Tips & Tricks

There are a few ways to complement your dish outside of the plate – one of them is through your drink. Finding the perfect contrast in your beverage, be it wine or beer, allows for nuances in your dish to truly develop and shine. On the other hand, a drink that counteracts your dish might overshadow the ingredients, making your experience feel under par.

Tips & Tricks

Tips & Tricks

When looking for that perfect matchup, always look to cater the drink to the strongest flavours in your dish, in this case being our Castello Extra Creamy Brie and the caramelised pear. Combined, the flavours are strong, and so an equally strong counterbalance is needed from your drink. For wines, oaked Chardonnay or dry rosés add both structure and vigour. For beers, look for lighter variants such as a smooth Pale Ale.

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