Fontina Prosciutto And Caramelized Onion Pizza Food

FONTINA, PROSCIUTTO AND CARAMELIZED ONION PIZZA

Steps:

• MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, mix the yeast with the water and sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, thyme and salt. Add 2 cups of the flour and stir until a very soft, wet dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, working in about 1/3 cup more flour, until the dough is soft and silky. Shape into a ball and put in a large, oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
• MAKE THE TOPPINGS: Preheat the oven to 450°. Oil 2 large baking sheets. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and stir to coat with the oil. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook the onions over high heat until golden brown, about 8 minutes longer. If the onions dry out, add a few tablespoons of water. Season the onions with salt and pepper, transfer to a plate and let cool slightly.
• Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece out to a 9-by-3-inch rectangle and arrange on the prepared baking sheets. Top the dough with the Fontina, sautéed onions and prosciutto. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
• In a large bowl, whisk the grapeseed oil, truffle oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Add the apple and arugula and toss. Top the hot pizzas with the salad and serve immediately.
• NOTE: I could not find truffle oil, plus I hear it is ridiculously expensive, so I ommitted this item, and it still tasted great.

WILD MUSHROOM PIZZA - CARAMELIZED ONIONS, FONTINA, ROSEMARY

Steps:

• *** MAKE DOUGH*** Mix the yeast, salt, sugar and olive oil with the water in a 5-quart bowl or a lidded (not air-tight) food container.
• Mix in the flour without kneading using a spoon, a large capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with dough hook). If you're not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour. I use a spoon to combine, then my hands for the last bit of flour.
• Cover (not air-tight) and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
• The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (again, not air-tight) container and use over the next 12 days.
• *** MAKE PIZZA *** Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until golden, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in another heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, and shallot. Sauté 4 minutes. Add wine and simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 13 minutes. Add rosemary; season with salt and pepper.
• Position rack in bottom third of oven. Place a pizza stone on rack. Preheat oven to 500°F at least 30 minutes before baking.
• Instead of kneading this dough, you're going to "cloak" it, which (and this is VERY important), should take no more than 30 seconds for the whole process from grabbing off a hunk of dough to the end of cloaking. This is done after the 2-hour rest. Sprinkle a little flour on the surface of the dough you've made and pull or cut off a grapefruit-sized ball. This will be for one pizza. Sprinkle a bit more flour on the top of that ball and with the entire length of the sides of your thumbs, gently stretch the top surface around to the under part of the ball. Gently! You're not actually tearing the dough, but think of it as lengthening the fibers on the very top surface of the ball by stretching it just a bit.
• Roll out 2 dough disks on lightly floured surface to 10-inch rounds, allowing dough to rest a few minutes if it springs back. Sprinkle 2 pizza peels with cornmeal and transfer 1 dough round to each peel. Lightly brush dough with garlic oil. Sprinkle one with 1/2 cup cheese, and then scatter 2 1/2 tablespoons onions over cheese. Scatter 1/2 cup mushrooms over onions. Sprinkle with salt and repeat for second pizza.
• Position tip of pizza peel at a slightly downward angle to roughly 2/3 of the way across pizza stone. With quick forward jerks and less jerky backward motions, jiggle the pizza from the peel to the stone, then slide peel the remainder of the way out so that the pizza is centered on the stone. Repeat with second pizza and bake for 6 minutes. Rotate pizzas half a turn. Bake until crust is deep brown, about 6 minutes longer, but watch that the crust doesn't burn.
• Using a large spatula or two, carefully transfer pizzas to cutting board. Let rest 1 minute. Slice into wedges and serve.

PEAR AND PROSCIUTTO PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet.
• Add onions and cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently (about 25 minutes) until onions are very soft and golden brown Add sugar and cook five more minutes.
• Place pizza crusts on a large baking sheet.
• Top with equal amounts of mozzarella, onions, pears, prosciutto and Parmesano Bake approximately 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden Sprinkle top with thyme and let cool slightly.
• Cut into wedges and serve.
• Makes 4 main dish or 16 appetiser servings.