Roasted Pear, Walnut and Gorgonzola Pizza

From: Cloud 9 Restaurant at the Senator Inn & Spa, Augusta, ME. Yield: 1 pizza.

1 organic whole wheat or white pizza crust

1 pear, firm but not hard

approximately ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup mascarpone, softened

2 cups fresh spinach leaves, loosely packed and tossed in extra virgin olive oil

½ cup caramelized onions

¼ cup walnut halves, tossed in extra virgin olive oil

½ cup Gorgonzola, broken into crumbles

Peel and cut pear into medium slices. Brush a sheet pan and tops of pear slices with the olive oil and roast in pizza oven until pears are golden and caramelized on top.

Spread the mascarpone over the pizza crust. Evenly distribute the greens and the caramelized onions over the top. Sprinkle on the walnuts. Fan out the caramelized pear slices and top pizza off with crumbled Gorgonzola. Bake in hot brick oven until crust is golden.

PHOTO: Pear Bureau Northwest