Pizza With Spring Onions And Fennel Food

POTATO FENNEL PIZZA

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a large pot with enough cold water to cover by 2 inches; add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes can just be pierced with a fork, 10 to 25 minutes depending on their size. Drain and let them sit to dry out until they're cool enough to handle. Slice the potatoes as thin as you can manage, at most 1/4-inch-thick; transfer the potato slices to a bowl and gently toss with the lemon juice and zest, 4 tablespoons oil, and lots of salt and pepper.
• Put the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add some of the fennel in a single layer, taking care not to crowd (you'll probably have to work in batches) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining fennel.
• Return all the fennel to the skillet and add the wine. Reduce the heat so the liquid bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the fennel is quite tender and the pan is dry, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Heat the oven to 500 degrees F and put the rack in the lower third, with the pizza stone if you're using one.
• Prepare the pizza dough according to the recipe directions. Top each pizza with half the potato slices (it's okay if they overlap a bit), then scatter with half the braised fennel. Put one baking sheet into the oven or slide the pizza on its parchment onto the stone. Bake until the crust is crisp, anywhere from 5 to 12 minutes. Chop the fennel fronds, sprinkle half over the pizza, drizzle with olive oil, slice and serve. Bake the second pizza while you eat the first.
• Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Put all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, instant yeast, and salt in a food processor. With the machine running, gradually add olive oil and 1 cup water, taking care not to overmix. Continue to run the machine, slowly adding 1/2 cup more water, until the dough forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch, about 30 seconds. If it's still dry, add 1 tablespoon water and process for another 10 seconds, but make sure the dough stays only a little sticky. (Unlikely, but if the mixture is too sticky to handle, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time and process for 10 seconds.) Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead by hand until you have a smooth, round ball, just a few seconds. Put the dough in the prepared bowl, turn to coat in the oil and cover with plastic wrap; let rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• Cut the dough into 2 pieces. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let rest until it puffs slightly, 20 minutes or so.
• Cut 2 pieces of parchment the size of large rimmed baking sheets (or pizza stone if you have one). Line 2 baking sheets with the parchment and, using floured hands, transfer one piece of dough to the parchment with the help of a spatula or pastry blade; put the other piece of dough on the second sheet. Let the dough sit for a few minutes; this will relax the dough and make it easier to roll out. Lightly press or roll each dough ball into the pan to about 1/4-inch thickness, flouring the dough only as necessary to prevent sticking. (If you're using a pizza stone, roll or pat out the dough onto parchment, 1/4-inch-thick, then transfer to a peel.) Press gently on the dough to readjust and flatten before topping.

GRILLED PIZZA WITH COPPA, FENNEL, ONION, BURRATA AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and add a pizza stone (if your grill has a thermometer, look for temperatures above 600 degrees F). Alternatively, position a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 525 degrees F. (If your oven only goes to 500 degrees F, that's fine.)
• Oil 2 large baking sheets, or if you have a pizza peel, dust it lightly with flour and cornmeal. Working with 1 ball of dough at a time, gently stretch or roll the dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to the baking sheet or pizza peel to carry to the grill or oven. Transfer to the pizza stone and cook until the dough is lightly charred and set on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and toast the other side, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Return to the baking sheet, top with the All-Purpose Red Sauce evenly over the top, sprinkle with the burrata and top with the coppa, fennel, ricotta and Parmesan.
• Return to the pizza stone and cook until crisp and brown on the bottom and around the edges, about 5 minutes more (about 12 minutes or so in the oven). Sprinkle with flaky salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, top with the greens and drizzle lightly with more oil. Serve warm.
• Pulse the tomatoes, anchovies if using, garlic, oil and basil in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth (some texture is okay). Season with red pepper flakes if using, salt and pepper. Makes 3 1/2 cups.
• Pour the milk and cream into a large pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add in the lemon juice and stir gently a few times (too much stirring yields a grainy ricotta). Once the curds start to separate and set, after about 1 minute or so, let the mixture stand without stirring for at least 5 minutes.
• Line a colander with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl. Drain the ricotta, 5 to 10 minutes for a looser, wet ricotta, or up to 1 hour for a tighter, firm ricotta (I go somewhere in the middle for pizza, depending on how patient I feel).
• Taste the ricotta and season with sea salt and fennel seeds if desired. Scoop into clean jars or airtight containers with lids and use at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

FENNEL AND SAUSAGE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Toss fennel and onion slices with olive oil; spread out on the baking sheet.
• Roast in the preheated oven until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Cook and stir sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a pizza pan or clean baking sheet. Spread sauce on top and cover with mozzarella cheese. Top with fennel, onion, sausage, and garlic slices.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, 15 to 17 minutes. Garnish with chopped fennel fronds.

SPRING ONION AND SALAMI SHEET-PAN PIZZA

Steps:

• For the all-purpose red sauce: Pulse the tomatoes, anchovies (if using), garlic, oil, and basil in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth (some texture is okay); season with red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Makes 8 servings.
• For the pizza: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 525 degrees F (275 degrees C). If your oven only goes to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C), that's fine.
• Coat a 13-by-18-inch (33-by-46-centimeter) baking sheet with the oil. Gently stretch the two balls of dough into an even layer, to reach into all four corners of the baking sheet, taking your time to stretch evenly with the seam meeting in the middle. Press the seam together to make one large sheet of dough. Spoon the tomato sauce evenly over the top, sprinkle with the mozzarella, and top with salami, spring onion, fennel seeds (if using), and Parmesan.
• Bake until crisp and brown on the bottom and around the edges, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky salt. Top with the greens and drizzle lightly with more oil. Serve warm.

FONTINA, FENNEL, AND ONION PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat it up:Set up a grill with heat source, coals or gas, on one side over medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill.
• Stretch it:On a lightly floured work surface, stretch or roll 1 piece Basic Grilled Pizza Dough or 4 ounces store-bought dough into a 10-inch-long oval or other desired shape. Brush one side lightly with Herb Oil or olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill it:Using your hands, place dough, oiled side down, directly over heat source. Brush dough with herb oil or olive oil and cook until underside is lightly charred and bubbles form all over top, 1 to 2 minutes. With tongs, flip dough and cook until lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Slide dough to cooler side of grill.
• Top it:Top with cheese and fennel fronds; cover grill. Cook until cheese melts and toppings are heated through, 2 to 5 minutes.

PIZZA WITH SPRING ONIONS AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, preferably with a baking stone in it. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the onion and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the fennel and garlic, and stir together. Cook, stirring often, until the fennel begins to soften, about five minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook gently, stirring often, until the fennel is very tender and sweet and just beginning to color, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped fennel fronds, and remove from the heat.
• Roll or press out the pizza dough and line a 12- to 14-inch pan. Brush the pizza crust with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle on the Parmesan. Spread the fennel mixture over the crust in an even layer. Place on top of the pizza stone, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges of the crust are brown and the topping is beginning to brown. Remove from the heat. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

SAUSAGE, ONION AND FENNEL PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
• In 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. With slotted spoon, remove sausage; set aside. Add oil to drippings in skillet; add onion and fennel. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Remove from heat. Stir in pepper.
• Unroll dough on cookie sheet. Starting at center, press out dough to 16x13-inch rectangle. Prick crust generously with fork. Bake 5 minutes.
• Spread pasta sauce over partially baked crust. Top with onion mixture, sausage and cheeses. Bake on lower oven rack 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Sprinkle with oregano.