As I mentioned in my first post about cooking, I am a novice when it comes to navigating my way around the kitchen. Luckily, my discerning (okay fine, super picky) palette appreciates high-quality, fresh tasting food. So much of what I make is anything but traditional and is always a bit quirky. Normally the words 'gourmet' and 'interesting' don't come to mind when the topic is pizza. Thanks in part to my first job, that is exactly how I prefer my pizzas to be in addition to fun and of course, flavorful.

The last time I had a gathering at my house, I wracked my brain trying to figure out something to make that wouldn't be labor intensive, messy, or too heavy knowing there would be a whole night of cocktails ahead. While strolling the aisles of my favorite grocery store ever, I concocted a recipe in my head, purchased the ingredients and headed home in hopes things would turn out for the best.

I'm proud to say the pizza was a hit! Here is the shopping list and my [attempt] at a cohesive recipe perfect for a cozy meal or to share with friends.

Step 1: Pre-heat your oven to 350°

Step 2: Using a pizza stone or floured pan, roll the pizza dough out into a circle (as best you can). Using a fork, sporadically pierce holes into the dough to prevent from it rising too much.

Step 3: Crack that egg, beat it, and egg wash the entire surface of the dough.

Step 4: Cook the egg-washed dough for approximately 7 minutes. By doing so, you are creating a "shell" to top with the remainder of the ingredients while avoiding a loss of flavor as a result of overcooking.

Step 5: When your shell is done, layer the following ingredients being sure to leave a 1-inch border around the outside as your crust:

A few pads of truffle butter, spread as evenly as possible
A thin layer of baby spinach
Very generous clumps of creamy gorgonzola cheese
Thinly sliced peaches strategically placed in array all around the pizza
Sprinkle of salt & pepper
Very light drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Step 6: Cook for 10-13 more minutes or until you notice the crust getting slightly darker than golden brown.

Step 7: Cool for 3 minutes and drizzle with even more balsamic vinegar. I actually used a BV glaze which added the perfect amount of flavor without being a drippy mess.

Step 8: Cut into desired number of pieces and serve.

Between Step 5 & 6.

Buon appetito!

P.S. Let me know if you have any questions or if you try the recipe out for yourself.