We mark the day of Tu B’Shevat by eating a new fruit, or eating from the shivat haminim (seven species) of the land of Israel: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates (Deut. 8:8). On this day we remember that “man is a tree of the field” (Deut. 20:19) and reflect on the lessons we can derive from our botanical analogue. As the trees move from a place of paucity to a place of abundance, so too can we move from being a receiver to being a giver.
This Tu B’Shevat invite friends and family to a pizza-making party with sample recipes cards ready for your guests to use. Have all the seven species as toppings along with other fruits, vegetables and sauces. You can also request donations so that a tree can be planted in the beautiful land of Israel (jnf.org/support/tree-planting-center). It’s a fun and meaningful way to celebrate each other and the trees that give so much to all of us.
Champagne Grape Pizza
Each pizza serves 1-2 people
Dough for 4 pizzas (do ahead of time):
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups bread flour
1½ tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
Cornmeal for rolling out dough
Pulse 1½ cups all-purpose flour, bread flour, oil, salt and water in a food processor until dough forms. Divide into four pieces. Wrap each in plastic and let rest until soft, 2-3 hours.
Toppings (for 1 pizza):
1 tablespoon black truffle oil
1 cup Karoun Labne yogurt cheese
1 cup champagne grapes or regular grapes cut in half
¼ cup gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles
1 ounce, or ¼ cup, pine nuts
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Assembly and Baking:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Preheat pizza stone or baking sheet in oven.
Sprinkle pastry sheet or large cutting board with cornmeal. Roll out the dough to roughly a 10” to 12” circle. Brush with truffle oil.
Spread yogurt cheese onto pizza shell using a knife or frosting spatula. Sprinkle with champagne grapes, followed by the gorgonzola crumbles, pine nuts, thyme and lemon zest. Carefully transfer to pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until pizza crust is lightly browned.
Remove from oven and garnish with fresh thyme sprig (optional). Let the pizza set for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza with Pomegranate and Basil
Each pizza serves 1-2 people
Dough for 4 pizzas (use recipe given above)
Fig Jam:
½ tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 cup dried figs, stemmed, sliced thinly
½ cup Marsala
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 cup water
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Toppings:
8 ounces fresh goat cheese
½ cup thinly sliced dried figs
1 pear, cored, thinly sliced
1 cup basil
⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
Making Jam:
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot; stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add figs, Marsala and rosemary. Increase heat, bring to a boil and add 1 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring often. Add water by tablespoonfuls if too thick, until figs are soft and jam measures 1¼ cups, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Assembly and Baking:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle pastry sheet or large cutting board with cornmeal. Roll out the dough to roughly a 10” to 12” circle. Place rolled out dough onto parchment-lined pan or pizza stone. Drizzle dough with a little olive oil and rub it over the surface to coat evenly.
Spread 3-4 tablespoons fig jam over each crust; scatter 2 ounces goat cheese over each; add sliced figs and pears throughout. Bake in batches until crust is crisp, 10-20 minutes.
Add pomegranate and fresh basil, slice and serve.
Lucia Schnitzer and her husband, Ken, own Luci’s Healthy Marketplace in Phoenix. The local coffee shop and marketplace opened in 2009 in Lucia’s honor after her successful battle with breast cancer. She successfully manages her career, her growing family (four children), her personal well-being and the countless demands of the day.
