Homemade Pizza: Duck, Duck, Goat Cheese

I have been making pizza at home since before my oldest child was born, and she is now in her mid thirties. Over time, it has gone from something that felt ambitious to something that feels instinctive. With a little practice, homemade pizza becomes not only easy, but deeply satisfying. It is one of those things that reminds you how much pleasure there is in slowing down and making food with your hands.

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This particular pizza came from a craving for something rich and savory, but still balanced. Duck confit, caramelized onions, and goat cheese felt like the right place to land. If fresh figs had been in season, they might have found their way onto this pie as well, but even without them, this combination stands beautifully on its own.

You can certainly make your own duck confit if you feel inspired, but there is no shame in saving time and buying it already prepared. For this pizza, I picked up duck confit from Fossil Farms in Boonton, New Jersey. If you do not live near a specialty shop like that, there are excellent options available online.

Let’s Make Some Pizza

The Dough

There are several good options when it comes to pizza dough. You can buy it from your local pizzeria, make it with standard flour, or lean into tradition and use Italian “00” flour. This very finely milled flour creates a tender, crisp crust that bakes beautifully at high heat.

The recipe below yields two 400 g (14 oz.) dough balls and makes 2 thin crust pizzas. I usually double it and freeze any extra dough for another day.

Ingredients

• 310 g lukewarm water (10.5 oz.)

• 1.5 tsp. active dry yeast

• A pinch of sugar

• 1.5 tsp. salt

• 500 g “00” flour

• 1 Tbs. olive oil

Instructions

1. Combine the water, yeast, and sugar and let it stand until foamy.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and knead for at least 10 minutes by hand, or about two minutes in a stand mixer.

3. Lightly oil a bowl, coat the dough, cover, and let rise for at least one hour until doubled.

4. For best flavor, refrigerate the dough covered overnight to allow it to ferment slowly. It can still be used the same day if needed, but the extra time makes a difference.

Getting a Crispy Crust at Home

If you find yourself making pizza often, invest in a pizza stone. Let it live in your oven full time. It is excellent not only for pizza, but also for baking and reheating other foods. Preheat your oven with the stone on the bottom rack at 500° F for a full hour.

I do not pretend to be a pizzaiolo, and tossing dough in the air is not my skill set. I roll the dough out on a floured surface, then let it rest on the counter for at least fifteen minutes before baking. This simple step helps create a crust that bubbles nicely in the oven.

Transfer the dough to a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal before adding toppings. Build the pizza on the peel, not the counter, or it will never make it into the oven. Slide it onto the stone with a gentle back and forth motion, rotating once during baking. Let the pizza rest for a few minutes before cutting.

Duck Confit Pizza Topping

(makes one pizza)

Ingredients

• 1 duck confit leg, meat shredded

• 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced

• 2 Tbs. dry sherry

• 115 g fontina cheese, grated (4 oz.)

• 115 g soft goat cheese, crumbled (4 oz.)

• 45 g toasted pine nuts (1.5 oz.)

• Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Season the onions with salt and pepper and sauté gently in olive oil for about 25 minutes until soft and golden.

2. Add the sherry and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. To assemble the pizza, sprinkle the fontina over the crust. Evenly distribute the onions, duck confit, and pine nuts. Dot with small amounts of goat cheese. Since there is no sauce, drizzle lightly with olive oil to keep everything moist.

4. Bake until crisp and bubbly. Finish with chopped parsley if you like.

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Get Creative. There Are No Rules.

Once you understand the basics, pizza becomes one of the most forgiving and expressive things you can make in your kitchen. It is less about recipes and more about rhythm. Dough, heat, restraint, and a willingness to trust your instincts. Some of our favorite pizzas have come together simply because we opened the refrigerator and started imagining what might work.

Think in layers. Start with the base, then build flavor gradually. Rich ingredients benefit from balance. Lighter toppings can handle a little more generosity. Most importantly, remember that pizza should feel fun. If you are enjoying the process, it almost always tastes better.

Below are a few combinations we return to often. Use them as inspiration rather than instruction.

Some of Our Favorite Pizzas

• Margherita: This is where it all begins. Spread a thin layer of crushed San Marzano tomato sauce over the dough, then top with 8 oz. (225 g) shredded fresh mozzarella and a light sprinkle of salt. Bake until bubbling and finished with slivered fresh basil. Simple, honest, and endlessly satisfying.

• Wild Mushroom and Arugula: Top the pizza with 12–14 oz. (340-400 g) sautéed wild mushrooms and 8 oz. (225 g) fontina cheese. Once cooked, top with 2.5 oz. (70 g) fresh arugula tossed in salt, pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. The contrast is everything.

• White Pizza with Spinach: Spread a thin layer of my cheesy white sauce about 3/4 cup (180 ml) over the dough, then add shredded fresh mozzarella about 4 oz (115 g). Wilt fresh spinach about 5 oz (140 g) gently in a pan with a touch of olive oil and garlic, then scatter it over the pizza before baking. Rich, comforting, and perfect with a glass of wine.

• White Pizza with Arugula: Spread a thin layer of my cheesy white sauce with garlic about 3/4 cup (180 ml) over the dough, then add shredded fresh mozzarella about 4 oz (115 g). Once the pizza is cooked, top with fresh arugula about 2.5 oz (70 g) tossed in salt, pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. It is light, bright, and hard to stop eating.

• Bacon and Mushroom: Spread a thin layer of San Marzano tomato sauce about 3/4 cup (180 ml) over the dough, then scatter sautéed fresh mushrooms about 8 oz (225 g) and cooked bacon about 4 oz (115 g) on top. Finish with shredded cheese about 6 oz (170 g), using mozzarella, fontina, or a combination of the two. Bake until golden and bubbling. Savory, familiar, and always a family favorite.

Vegan Pizza Ideas

We made a few vegan pies as well and below are a few ideas to get you started. We stayed away from soy based cheeses and went with brands that were nut based. The Miyoko’s brand was really nice the last time we worked with it and we decided to use that and the Violife brand for our vegan pizza this time around. Miyoko’s also makes a fresh style mozzarella. On any pies with drier ingredients you may need to drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top to keep things moist.

• Salad Pizza: Spread a thin layer of San Marzano tomato sauce about 3/4 cup (180 ml) over the dough and bake the crust until golden and crisp. While the pizza bakes, chop romaine hearts about 2 heads (roughly 8–10 cups | 300–350 g) and toss them with halved cherry tomatoes about 1 cup (150 g), sliced olives about 1/2 cup (75 g), chopped artichoke hearts about 1/2 cup (75 g), thinly sliced red onion about 1/4 cup (40 g), and sliced pepperoncini peppers about 1/4 cup (40 g). Dress the salad lightly with olive oil about 2 Tbsp (30 ml) and red wine vinegar about 1 Tbsp (15 ml), seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. When the crust comes out of the oven, immediately pile the salad on top and serve. Fresh, crunchy, and wildly satisfying.

• Vegan Margherita: San Marzano tomato sauce about 3/4 cup (180 ml), 1.5 oz Violife Just Like Parmesan, grated (45 g), 4 oz Miyoko’s vegan mozzarella, grated (115 g), and fresh slivered basil. Clean, classic, and deeply satisfying.

• Roasted Vegetable: 2 small zucchini, thinly sliced and roasted (about 300 g), 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced (150 g), 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (75 g), and 3 oz Violife feta, crumbled (85 g). Colorful, fresh, and full of texture.

• Mushroom and Spinach: 1.5 oz Violife Just Like Parmesan, grated (45 g), 4 oz Miyoko’s vegan mozzarella, grated (115 g), 12–14 oz wild mushrooms, sautéed (340–400 g), 2.5 oz fresh spinach (70 g), and extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top. Savory, balanced, and surprisingly hearty.

• White Arugula Vegan Pizza: Brush the dough lightly with olive oil, then scatter 2 cloves crushed garlic, vegan mozzarella about 4 oz (115 g), and vegan Parmesan style cheese about 1.5 oz (45 g) over the crust. Bake until golden, then top with arugula about 2.5 oz (70 g) tossed with salt, pepper, and olive oil about 1 Tbsp (15 ml). Bright, garlicky, and incredibly fresh

• Kelsea’s Greek Pie: Brush olive oil on the crust, then top with sliced cherry tomatoes about 1 cup (150 g), sautéed mushrooms about 6 oz (170 g), sautéed spinach about 2.5 oz (70 g), chopped yellow onion about 1/4 onion (40 g), and crumbled Violife feta about 3 oz (85 g). It is hearty, colorful, and full of Mediterranean flavor.

The Red Sauce

Keep it simple. Really simple.

Use one 28 oz. can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Add one or two cloves of finely minced fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and a pinch of dried oregano. Do not cook it. Just stir, taste, adjust, and use. The oven does the rest of the work.

Kat’s Cheesy White Sauce

I could make béchamel for white pizza, but I usually take the easier and more comforting route.

Mix ricotta with grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Add just enough milk to thin it slightly so it spreads easily. You want it creamy, not loose. If you like a garlicky white pizza, add one or two crushed garlic cloves. This sauce is forgiving and adaptable, and it works beautifully with both vegetables and richer toppings.

Wine Pairing

Duck confit has its roots firmly in French cooking, and for this pizza I wanted a wine that understood that heritage while still feeling fresh and vibrant at the table. Pinot Noir has always been a natural partner for duck, and we chose a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Dundee Hills.

The Drouhin family’s history in Burgundy spans generations, and that sensibility carries clearly into their work in Oregon. Domaine Drouhin Oregon was founded with a long view, rooted in elegance, balance, and a deep respect for place. Rather than chasing power, these wines are built around finesse, acidity, and clarity, qualities that matter when food is involved.

The Drouhin family’s history is not only tied to wine, but to courage and resilience as well. During World War II, Robert Drouhin helped shelter people in the underground wine cellars and tunnels connected to the family’s winery beneath the city of Beaune, using those passageways to hide them from the occupying forces. At times, he had to go into hiding himself. This chapter of the family’s story is referenced in War and Wine, and it adds a powerful human dimension to the wines they continue to make today.

I have worked with the Drouhin wines, and they have always been among my favorites to pour at the table. This Pinot Noir brought bright red fruit, beautiful acidity, and enough structure to stand up to the richness of the duck confit without overwhelming it. It moved easily through the goat cheese and caramelized onions, keeping the pizza feeling balanced and inviting from the first bite to the last.

This pairing felt natural. A French inspired dish, a wine shaped by Burgundian tradition, and a meal that reminded us why some combinations endure for a reason.

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