In 2006, I packed up my gear and traveled to the Mall of America for the Food Network Pizza Champions Challenge. Over the course of a very grueling day, we competed for three Guinness World Records in front of a big audience and a panel of famous judges. I won two of the world-record rounds: Biggest Pizza Continuously Spinning for Two Minutes, and Most Consecutive Rolls Across the Shoulders in 30 Seconds.
By comparison, round three, the cooking challenge, felt as easy as pie. Four of us gathered at our stations to get our marching orders: create a gourmet pizza in ten minutes using none of the top ten toppings—no pepperoni, no sausage, you get the idea. So, my instinct was to combine two of my favorite pizza worlds, California and Italy. I grabbed five totally traditional Italian ingredients: prosciutto, fig jam, Gorgonzola, Asiago, and balsamic vinegar. They're classic, but the thing is, you'd never find them on a pizza in Italy, at least not all together. But to us "why not?" Californians, the combination makes perfect sense as a pizza topping, and it made sense to the judges, too.
If you do not have two pizza baking stones or steels, you can use two 13" x 18" inverted rimmed baking sheets or cookie sheets. —Epicurious Editors
Recipe notes
Back to topSee Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
31 Perfect Pizza Recipes
Whether you’re a thin-crust aficionado or a Detroit loyalist, your ideal pizza is about to be delivered.Our 43 Favorite Fig Recipes
Lush, plump figs are the perfect accompaniment for roasted meat—but they're also easily the star of dessert.
