Pizza With Ricotta Artichokes And Onions Food

PIZZA WITH RICOTTA, ARTICHOKES, AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll pizza dough into a 10-by-14-inch oval; transfer to a baking sheet. Spread with ricotta cheese; season with coarse salt and ground pepper.
• Reserve 1 tablespoon oil from a 10-ounce jar of marinated artichoke hearts; drain and thinly slice artichokes. Scatter over cheese along with red onion. Drizzle with reserved oil; bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

THIN-CRUST PIZZA WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Make the dough. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 500˚ F (use the convection setting, if available) with a pizza stone, baking steel or inverted large baking sheet in the lower third of the oven.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; put the bell pepper halves on one side and the mushrooms on the other side. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil; rub all over the peppers and toss the mushrooms to coat. Arrange the peppers cut-side down and roast, turning the peppers and stirring the mushrooms occasionally, until the peppers are tender and browned and the mushrooms are tender and dry, 15 to 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes (reduce the heat if the onions start to get too dark). Stir in 1/4 cup water, the tomato paste and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste is toasted and a few shades darker, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar; season with salt, pepper and more sugar, if needed. (The sauce should be slightly sweet and tangy.) Let cool.
• Remove the roasted peppers to a cutting board and chop; transfer to a large bowl and stir in the mushrooms, artichoke hearts and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
• On a lightly floured surface, cut one 1-pound ball of dough in half. Cup your hand around each piece and gently roll each into a small ball. Transfer 1 ball of dough to a lightly floured piece of parchment paper and roll into a thin 12-inch round with a rolling pin (keep the other ball of dough covered).
• Top the dough with half of the sauce, spreading it to the edge, then top with half of the roasted vegetable mixture and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
• Transfer the pizza (on the parchment) to the hot stone and bake until the crust is set, 3 to 5 minutes. Slide out the parchment from under the pizza. Continue baking until the crust is golden brown and crisp, 7 to 10 more minutes. Remove the pizza to a cutting board and dot with half of the ricotta. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and top with basil. Repeat to make another pizza.
• Sprinkle the yeast over the hot water in a small bowl. Let stand until dissolved and slightly foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and add the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, dust the dough with flour and knead, dusting with more flour as needed, until very smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough into two 1-pound balls. (If making sheet-pan pizza, let the dough rise, covered, on an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet coated with 3 tablespoons olive oil instead of in a bowl; do not divide into two balls.)
• If not using the dough right away, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before using.

PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, RICOTTA AND CHARD

Steps:

• Thirty minutes before baking the pizza, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender and just beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook another 10 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are golden brown and very sweet and soft. Remove from the heat.
• While the onions are cooking, stem and wash the chard leaves, and bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the chard. Blanch for one to two minutes, just until the leaves are tender, and transfer to the ice water. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Alternatively, steam the chard for two to three minutes until wilted, and rinse with cold water. Chop the chard medium-fine.
• Roll out the dough, oil a 14-inch pizza pan and dust with cornmeal or semolina. Place the dough on the pan.
• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan and chard. Spread over the pizza dough in an even layer, leaving a 1-inch border around the rim. Spread the onions over the ricotta mixture.
• Place in the hot oven, and bake 10 to 15 minutes until the crust and bits of the onion are nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and serve hot or warm.

ARUGULA AND PROSCIUTTO PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, RICOTTA, AND BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to preheat for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in another large cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Stretch the pizza dough out into a 12-inch round. In the preheated cast-iron skillet, drizzle some oil, then add the dough round.
• Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Spread the ricotta on top and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
• When the pizza comes out, mix the melted butter, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Brush it along the crust of the pizza. Tear the prosciutto into small pieces or strips and place on top. Top with the arugula and caramelized onions. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze, then top with shaved Parmesan cheese.
• Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 8 slices to serve.
• In a small bowl, stir together the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle the salt over the flour and mix on low speed for 15 seconds to distribute the salt.
• Add the olive oil, room-temperature water, and yeast mixture and mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, then increase the speed to medium and mix until a ball of dough forms, about 5 minutes.
• Spray a medium bowl lightly with cooking spray. Shape the dough into a ball and set it in the bowl seam side down. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• When the dough is almost risen, place a cast-iron pizza stone on the center rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F.
• When the dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap and push down on the dough to release the gases and bubbles. Shape it into a ball. (If using the dough later, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. The dough will slowly proof during that time. Once you're ready to use it, set it out for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.)
• Spread a piece of parchment paper about 1 1/2-feet long on a work surface. Stretch the dough into a 14-inch round on the parchment.
• Top with your favorite toppings. Carefully pull the oven rack with the pizza stone halfway out of the oven and transfer the parchment and pizza dough to the stone.
• Bake until the crust is golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and cut into 8 slices to serve.

ARTICHOKE, GOAT CHEESE AND CHICKEN PIZZA

Steps:

• Set oven to broil. Lightly coat a large broiler pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with dried oregano; season with salt and pepper; place chicken in pan. Broil 2 minutes per side. Remove pan from oven; set oven to 450°F. Mix goat cheese and ricotta in a bowl; spread evenly over pizza crust, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with chicken, artichokes, and tomatoes; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until Parmesan turns golden, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh oregano and serve.

WHOLE-WHEAT PIZZA WITH ARTICHOKES AND PECORINO

Steps:

• Use a paring knife to trim away all of the artichokes' fibrous leaves and chokes so only the hearts remain. Slice the hearts thinly crosswise. In a small bowl, toss artichoke hearts with lemon juice.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Stretch dough on prepared sheet and brush with oil, making sure to coat edges well. Scatter spoonfuls of ricotta over dough. Top with tomatoes, artichokes, olives, and 3/4 of the Pecorino. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bake pizza until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Top cooked pizza with basil and reserved Pecorino.