Pizza Alla Don

Pizza Any Way You Slice It. A creation of Don Pintabona, chef at Tribeca Grill.

• Ready In: 1 hr 29 mins
• Yields: 2 12-inch pizzas

Ingredients

• 1  cup  white balsamic vinegar
• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1  large  firm ripe pear, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 2 (10 ounce)  pizza dough, for two 12-inch pizzas
• 1⁄2 cup  crumbled gorgonzola
• 4 -6  slices prosciutto, very thin slices

Directions

1. *30 minutes to 1 hour before you plan to bake your pizzas, place oven rack on the lowest level and arrange a stone or tiles on top; heat oven to maximum temperature—500°.
2. The Pizza: add vinegar to a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
3. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the syrup is reduced and thickened and resembles honey, about 10 minutes; let cool (the syrup can be made ahead to this point).
4. If it becomes too firm as it cools, simply reheat it with a few drops of water, or microwave it for 10 seconds.
5. In a small skillet, heat the butter over medium heat; add the pear slices and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Place 1 ball of dough on a floured surface; press out dough, lifting it and turning it over several times, until it reaches a 12-inch circle; do not knead dough or handle more than is necessary; if dough seems too sticky, dust it lightly with flour.
7. Dust a pizza peel; carefully transfer the circle of dough to the peel, reshaping as needed.
8. Shake the peel once or twice to make sure the dough does not stick; if it does, lift the dough and sprinkle the peel with more flour.
9. Arrange half the pears on the shaped dough; scatter half the cheese on top; drizzle with half the vinegar syrup.
10. Slide pizza onto prepared baking stone (in oven); after the pizza is on the stone, do not attempt to move it until it firms up in 2-3 minutes.
11. Bake for 6-7 minutes, or until the crust is browned; remove pizza from the oven and arrange the prosciutto slices on top; cut into wedges and serve immediately.
12. Make a second pizza with the remaining ingredients.