Are you a human? Well then this recipe is for you! Because, NO ONE that I know and respect dislikes pizza. Honestly, if someone tells you they don’t like pizza, they’re lying. Don’t trust them.

Ordering pizza has never really been something that I do very often. I guess because I don’t think about it. I guess because I like to cook. I guess because…I can make it myself?! And it’s SO easy, why wouldn’t I?? You are in full control this way. Healthy toppings or unhealthy toppings. Red sauce or white sauce. Meat or veggies. Cauliflower crust or wheat crust. You choose, babe. You choose.

So I like to call this recipe a “flatbread” because,

1. I don’t know the difference between flatbread and pizza (I won’t lie);

2. It comes across as more refined;

3. It sounds healthier for some reason, and;

4. It’s pretty flat, yo!

I start with just a basic dough recipe. Make this and chill it in a Ziploc bag overnight and the flavours meld together and it’s really quite magical. When you are ready to make some ‘za, pull it out of the fridge, roll it out and load it up with your choice of toppings, cook on high heat and in 10 minutes, you have amazing pizza.

The dough is simple. It is just flour (I use whole wheat), salt, olive oil, warm water and instant yeast. Toss it all into your stand mixer and then let it rise for an hour or two. This recipe will make one giant pizza, or three respectable-sized personal pizzas. I like to make three different types when I make this dough. Keep it interesting.

There are numerous combinations of toppings that I’ve tried in the past, and I am quite positive that I will be posting more flatbread recipes in the near future, but this one is in my Top 3. Sweet pears, flavourful caramelized onions, bubbly mozza cheese and peppery arugula. YUM! You literally cannot go wrong. Like, literally.

So grab your dough. Roll it out. Add my simple oil base (olive oil, garlic, dried basil, salt, pepper).

Top with onions, pears and cheese.

Bake at 500 degrees F. Remove. Arugula. Balsamic vinegar drizzle. Eat. Love your life.

Pear, Mozzarella and Caramelized Onion Flatbread

Serving size: 3-5 (Depending on whether you make it as a meal or a side)

Prep time: 12 hours (inactive time)

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Pizza:

• 4 tbsp olive oil, separated
• 1 large onion, sliced thinly
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• pinch of salt
• pinch of fresh pepper
• 2 bosc pears, sliced thinly
• 250 g mozzarella, cut into thin slices (fresh or balled mozzarella is best)
• arugula for topping
• balsamic vinegar for drizzling (optional)

Ingredients:

For the pizza dough:

1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let sit for 10 minutes until the top looks foamy.
2. Add flour and salt to a stand mixer bowl attached with the dough hook. Turn the speed on low and in a slow, steady stream, drizzle the olive oil in until fully incorporated. Pour in the water/yeast mixture and mix until fully incorporated. You may need to scrape down the sides to help it come together. Dough will be sticky. Coat a large mixing bowl with olive oil and turn the dough into the bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm area for two hours.
3. After it has risen, you can roll it out and use immediately, but it is much better with more time to let the flavours develop. Place it in a large Ziploc bag and store in the fridge overnight or up to three days. Dough will continue to expand in the fridge.

For the pizza:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
2. In a pan over low heat, add two tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced onion. Let the onion cook and caramelize for about 20 minutes, stirring every so often. If you wish to speed up this process, add small amounts of water to help the onions along.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil, the garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. Remove dough from fridge. Flour your surface and turn the dough out onto it. Use your hands to knead the dough for about 1 minute, or until it no longer sticks to your hands. At this point, you can either cut the dough into three even pieces and roll each into a ball, or make one large pizza ball with the entire dough.
5. Using a floured rolling pin, start in the centre of your dough and roll outwards, turning your dough a quarter turn after every few rolls, trying to achieve a rectangular shape. Use your hands to pull and stretch the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Lay the dough on a large baking sheet that has been brushed with olive oil.
6. Brush the top of the dough with the olive oil and garlic mixture. Add the caramelized onions, sliced pears and then mozzarella slices. Bake in the oven for 10-14 minutes, or until crust has browned and the cheese bubbles. Top with arugula and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Cut with a pizza slicer and enjoy warm!