Why it works: Fig and sage share more aroma than cooks usually use. They rank in the top 12% of all ingredient pairs, and 21 recipes mention both. Both carry 2-hexenal, which smells green, leafy. The science ↓
The recipe
Ingredients
Contains: milk, wheat (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)
- Pizza Dough
- Pizza Topping
Directions
Make the dough
Combine warm water, yeast and rye flour to make sponge.
Set aside in very warm place for 20 minutes.
Stir in milk, olive oil, salt, flour and lukewarm water.
Place dough on lightly floured work surface, and knead by hand for 10 to 15 minutes.
Place dough in large mixing bowl. Set aside to double in very warm place.
Punch down. Allow to rise for 40 minutes.
Place dough on lightly floured work surface. Divide into 2 balls.
Place in mixing bowl. Cover with oiled plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Shape and top
Preheat oven to 500°F.
Remove one dough ball from refrigerator. Flatten on lightly floured work surface or cookie sheet.
Using floured hands, work dough out by pulling in circle. Using knuckles, slowly stretch dough into large disc 12 inches round.
Repeat with second ball of dough.
Place discs on preheated pizza stone or pizza pan. Drizzle each with extra virgin olive oil.
Place small pieces of gorgonzola on each dough circle. Add fresh figs and fig preserves, if using.
Sprinkle with sage, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bake and serve
Bake in oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crust is browned.
Top with greens, and serve.
This recipe comes from the Recipes Wiki on Fandom and is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Our formatting and summaries are shared under the same licence.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
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Fig + sagetop 12% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together21 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
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Sage + peppertop 2% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together5,388 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
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Milk + cheesetop 4% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together4,424 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
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Milk + figtop 4% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together1,025 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
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Olive + cheesetop 5% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together3,530 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl 2-methylbutyrate (apple, fatty).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Yeast
- Ferments the sponge so the dough rises and gains a light, airy texture.
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
- Forms the gluten network that gives the crust its structure and chew.
- Gorgonzola cheese
- Melts into creamy pockets and adds a sharp, salty flavor to the pizza.
- Fresh figs
- Add natural sweetness and soft, jammy texture that balances the sharp cheese.
- Olive oil
- Adds richness to the dough and helps the crust brown in the oven.
- Fresh sage
- Contributes an aromatic, herbal flavor that pairs with the figs and cheese.
The step that matters
Bake at 500°F until the crust is browned. A very hot oven sets the crust quickly and browns it before the toppings dry out. Baking too briefly leaves the dough pale and doughy, while a hot pizza stone helps the bottom crisp.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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