Mozzarella & Ricotta Focaccia Pizzas

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the bread. Remove and discard the kale stems; finely chop the leaves. Peel and mince the garlic; smash with the side of your knife until it resembles a paste (or use a zester). Small dice the figs. Cut out and discard the cauliflower core; cut the head into small florets. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Using a peeler, remove the lemon rind, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter and deseed the lemon. Core and small dice the apple; place in a bowl with the juice of 1 lemon wedge to prevent browning. Small dice the mozzarella cheese.

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the kale and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add half the garlic paste and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add ¾ cup of water and cook, stirring occasionally, 7 to 9 minutes, or until the kale has wilted and the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the kale cooks, in a small pot, combine the figs, verjus and ½ cup of water; heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, 9 to 11 minutes, or until thickened and the liquid has cooked off. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the cauliflower and half the onion on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer; roast, stirring halfway through, 20 to 22 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the apple and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish.

While the vegetables roast, place the bread on a separate sheet pan, cut sides up; generously drizzle with olive oil. Evenly top with the cooked kale, as much of the remaining onion as you’d like (you may have extra onion) and mozzarella cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Bake 16 to 18 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, the juice of the remaining lemon wedge and as much of the remaining garlic paste as you’d like; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Evenly top the baked pizzas with spoonfuls of the seasoned ricotta and fig jam. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the finished pizzas with the roasted vegetables on the side. Enjoy!