Duck Confit And Fried Egg Pizza Food

MARGHERITA PIZZA WITH A FRIED EGG

Steps:

• For the dough: Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of the flour and the salt until smooth. Stir in an additional 2 cups flour; continue adding flour (up to 1/2 cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until the dough comes away from bowl but is still sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead it with lightly floured hands: Start by slapping the dough onto the counter, pulling it toward you with one hand and pushing it away with the other. Fold the dough back over itself (use a bench scraper or a wide knife to help scrape dough from work surface). Repeat until the dough is easier to handle, about 10 times. Finish by kneading normally until the dough is smooth, elastic and soft, but a little tacky, about 10 minutes.
• Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 3 hours. Press the dough with a finger to see if it's done; an indent should remain.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 to 6 balls. Place the balls on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover gently with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature until puffed and relaxed, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onions; cook until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chile flakes; cook 1 minute longer.
• Add the tomatoes and their juices, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a strong simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and the mixture thickens, about 30 minutes. Mash the tomatoes with a potato masher and continue cooking until thickened, about 15 minutes longer.
• Stir in the oregano and season with salt and pepper. Cool before using on the pizza. (Makes 1 quart; freeze leftover sauce in a container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 1 month.)
• For the pizza: Preheat a pizza oven to 625 degrees F, or a conventional oven as hot as it will go with a baking stone on or near the bottom of the oven.
• Sprinkle a pizza peel with some cornmeal. Roll and stretch one of the dough balls into a thin oblong on a lightly floured surface and lay it on the peel. Spread the dough with about 1/2 cup tomato sauce, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle the border with olive oil and season the whole pie with salt and pepper. Scatter 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan over the pizza and top with a few pieces of mozzarella -- it shouldn't cover the top. Slide the pizza into the pizza oven (or onto the baking stone) and cook until the crust is golden on the edges, blistered and crisp on the bottom, and the cheese is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes, depending on oven temperature.
• When the pizza still has a few minutes to go, heat some olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Slip in an egg and cook until about three-quarters done -- the white should be set enough to remove the egg from the pan but not completely firm. Season with salt and pepper. Use the peel to remove the pizza from the oven; slide the egg into the center of the pizza. Return the pizza to the oven and cook until the white is set and the yolk is still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board, top with torn basil, slice and serve. Repeat for the remaining pizzas.

DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Lay the leg portions on a platter, skin side down. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and the black pepper. Place the garlic cloves, bay leaves, and sprigs of thyme on each of 2 leg portions. Lay the remaining 2 leg portions, flesh to flesh, on top. Put the reserved fat from the ducks in the bottom of a glass or plastic container. Top with the sandwiched leg portions. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Remove the duck from the refrigerator. Remove the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and duck fat and reserve. Rinse the duck with cool water, rubbing off some of the salt and pepper. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Put the reserved garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and duck fat in the bottom of an enameled cast iron pot. Sprinkle evenly with the peppercorns and table salt. Lay the duck on top, skin side down. Add the olive oil. Cover and bake for 12 to 14 hours, or until the meat pulls away from the bone.
• Remove the duck from the fat. Strain the fat and reserve. To store the duck confit, place the duck leg portions in a container, cover with the reserved cooking fat, and store in the refrigerator. Alternately, pick the meat from the bones and place it in a stoneware container. Cover the meat with a thin layer of some of the strained fat. The duck confit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
• The excess oil can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and used like butter for cooking. The tinge of duck taste in the oil is wonderful.

DUCK RILLETTE

Steps:

• Combine all of the ingredients, except fat, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Beat at medium speed for about 1 minute, or until everything is well mixed. Or use a food processor, taking care not to puree the mixture or let it turn into a paste. The texture should be like finely chopped meat.
• Use immediately or place in an airtight container, drizzle some of the reserved fat over the top, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week

CARAMELIZED ONION AND DUCK CONFIT PIZZA

Steps:

• Cut the onion into very thin slices. Put the vegetable oil and onions into a large skillet and place it over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions become golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
• Place a pizza stone onto the floor of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Remove the bones from the duck legs and shred the meat; set aside. Place the dough on a floured surface. Flatten it slightly, sprinkle with more flour, and roll it into a 10-inch disk. Sprinkle a wooden pizza paddle with flour and transfer the dough to the paddle. Shake the board a little to make sure the dough doesn't stick. Spread the caramelized onions to within 1/2-inch of the edge of the dough and top evenly with the cheeses, pine nuts and rosemary. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and transfer to the pizza stone. Bake until the crust is brown around the edges, about 10 to 15 minutes.