Pizza With Caramelized Onions Figs Bacon And Blue Cheese Food

PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, FIGS, BACON AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• At least 45 minutes before cooking, preheat the oven and pizza stone to 550 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the onions, thyme and bay leaves. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions begin to wilt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and turn a deep, golden brown, about 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves and transfer the onions to a small bowl.
• Place the bacon in the pan and set over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl.
• Place the pizza dough on a heavily floured surface and stretch and pull, using your hands or a rolling pin, into about a 14-inch round. Place on a lightly floured pizza peel or rimless baking sheet. Cover with the toppings, careful not to press on the dough and weigh it down: the caramelized onions first, then the figs and bacon, and finally the Gorgonzola, leaving roughly a 1/2 inch border. Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick, forward-and-back motion. Cook until the crust has browned on the bottom and the top is bubbling and browning in spots, about 7 minutes. Drizzle with a little olive oil and some cracked black pepper. Serve hot. Makes 1 pizza.

PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND CRISPY BACON

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• In a medium size saute pan, add olive oil and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the bacon and cook until the bacon is very crispy and all of the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan and discard. Place the pan over high heat. Add the onions to the hot bacon fat and cook until the onions are well browned, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
• In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone and farmer's cheeses. Season with nutmeg and black pepper. Reserve.
• On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the dough as thinly as possible, about 14 to 15-inch circle. Evenly spread the mascarpone mixture over the dough. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, bacon, thyme, and sauteed onion. Bake until the pizza crust is nicely browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove pizza from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, cut into slices and serve immediately.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4 cup warm water.
• In a food processor, combine the flour and the salt. Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup of water and process until the mixture forms a ball. (The pizza dough can also be made in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until the mixture comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and starts to climb up the dough hook).
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand 2 or 3 minutes longer. The dough should be smooth and firm. Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours. (When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled).
• Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Then on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 1 hour. At this point, the balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

ARUGULA, CARAMELIZED ONION AND GOAT CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Put the oil and onions in a medium skillet and cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium and add the arugula. Cook until the arugula is wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the tortillas on a baking sheet and top each with some of the arugula/onion mixture. Crumble some goat cheese on top of each, and bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes and cut each pizza into 4 triangles.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND GORGONZOLA PIZZA

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Saute onions in butter until the onions are soft and dark brown, approximately 25 minutes. Stir in sugar, and continue cooking for 1 or 2 more minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Grease a pizza pan or cookie sheet, and press out the dough to desired thickness. Spread onions evenly over the dough, and top with crumbled Gorgonzola.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until done.

CARAMELIZED ONION CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• Place olive oil in large skillet and add thinly sliced onion, cook over low heat until onions are caramelized and golden browned, about 20 minutes.
• While the onion cooks preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place cooked onions on pizza crust and sprinkle with seasoning. Sprinkle crust with goat cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and Parmesan cheese.
• Place pizza in hot oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until cheese melts and the crust is crisp.
• Remove from oven and cut into wedges.

CARAMELIZED ONION & FIG PIZZA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 30-35 minutes or until deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and pepper; cook 1 minute longer., Preheat oven to 425°. Unroll and press dough onto bottom and up sides of a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 7-10 minutes or until golden brown., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, thyme and remaining oil until blended. Spread over crust. Top with caramelized onion, figs, prosciutto and pine nuts; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 6-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

FRESH FIG, CARAMELIZED ONION AND GOAT CHEESE GOURMET PIZZA

Steps:

• In a pan saute onions in oil till a caramel color, set aside to cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1 inch thick. You can make it round or square all a matter of taste.
• Place on a pan that is dusted with corn meal.
• Spread a thin coat of olive oil on dough.
• Arrange goat cheese, figs cut side up, cooled onions around on crust.
• Top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with rosemary.
• Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
• ALTERNATE method:.
• If grilling preheat grill to medium high.
• Oil one side and place on a clean oiled grill and grill for 4-5 minutes.
• Flip and then lightly spread olive oil on dough.
• Arrange goat cheese, figs cut side up, cooled onions around on crust.
• Top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with rosemary.
• Cook a couple more minutes.

ALSATIAN PIZZA WITH BACON AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• 1. To make the pizza dough, in a bowl, whisk together the water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Pull the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead a few times, then form into a ball. Oil a second bowl, put the ball in the bowl, and turn to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free area. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1¿1 1/2 hours.
• 2. While the dough is rising, in a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and stir to coat. Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and stir once more. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
• 3. At the same time, in a second sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• 4. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Brush and oil the grill grate.
• 5. Dump the dough onto a floured work surface, then divide in half. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out 1 half into a round 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) in diameter and about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Repeat with the second half.
• 6. Slide 1 round onto a baker's peel or a rimless baking sheet dusted with cornmeal, and then carefully slide the round off the peel onto the grill directly over the fire. Repeat with the second round. Cook the crusts until the underside is well marked, about 2 minutes. Using the peel, transfer the crusts, grilled side up, back to the work surface.
• 7. Top each crust with half the onions, half the bacon, and then half the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Using the peel, return the topped crusts to the grill, cover the grill, and cook until each crust is firm and browned at the edges and the cheese has melted a bit, 4-6 minutes.
• 8. Transfer the pizzas to a cutting board and sprinkle with the thyme. Cut into wedges and serve at once.