Pancetta And Onion Pizza Recipes

CARAMELIZED ONION AND CRISPY PANCETTA PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 475°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; starting at center, press dough into 15x10-inch rectangle.
• In large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat; stir in pancetta. Cook and stir 2 minutes or until pancetta is crisp.
• Stir in onions, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook and stir over medium-low heat 20 minutes or until onions are browned, stirring frequently.
• Brush dough with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil; top with half of onion mixture, to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle cheeses over pizza and top with remaining onion mixture.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is crisp and cheese in center is melted. Sprinkle with black pepper.

PROVENçAL ONION PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, preferably with a pizza stone inside. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until they begin to sizzle and soften, about three minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic, bay leaf, thyme and pepper. Stir everything together, turn the heat to low, cover and cook slowly for 45 minutes, stirring often. The onions should melt down to a golden brown puree. If they begin to stick, add a few tablespoons of water. Stir in the capers, then taste and adjust seasonings. If there is liquid in the pan, cook over medium heat, uncovered, until it evaporates.
• Roll out the pizza dough and line a 12- to 14-inch pan. Brush the remaining tablespoon of oil over the bottom but not the rim of the crust. Spread the onions over the crust in an even layer. Cut the anchovies in half, and decorate the top of the crust with them, making twelve small X's and placing an olive in the middle of each X. Place on top of the pizza stone, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges of the crust are brown and the onions are beginning to brown. Remove from the heat. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

PANCETTA AND ONION PIZZA

Steps:

• 1. Put a pizza stone on the bottom rack in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the pancetta or bacon, cook until the fat renders but is short of being crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• 2. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions; form each into a ball. Roll a portion into a 12-inch disk on a floured surface (cover the other piece with a kitchen towel). Lightly dust a pizza peel with flour and put the dough on the peel, drizzle lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt. Slip the dough onto the preheated stone and cook until just set, about 4 minutes.
• 3. Using the peel, remove the dough from the oven and top with about half the sauce and toppings - bacon, mozzarella, leek, and garlic. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Return the pizza to the stone and cook until the crust is golden and the cheese melts, about 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove the pizza, top with half the grated Parmesan and scatter with some basil leaves and pepper flakes, if desired. Serve. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.
• Nutrition Information (per serving-analysis done for 8): Calories: 370 Total Fat: 16 grams Saturated Fat: 6 grams Total Carbohydrates: 41 grams Protein: 14 grams Sodium: 1022 milligrams Cholesterol: 30.5 milligrams Fiber: 2 grams
• 1. Whisk water and sugar in a bowl and scatter the yeast over the top. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in olive oil.
• 2. Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the liquid to make a rough, shaggy dough. Turn out onto a lightly-floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. If the dough seems wet, add just enough flour to prevent sticking.
• 3. Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Form the dough into a ball, rotate it around the bowl to coat and place it seam-side down in the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside at room temperature, until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Or cover and refrigerate overnight. If refrigerating bring to room temperature about 30 minutes before forming. Yield: Makes 1 1/2 pounds of dough, enough for 2 (12 inch) pies
• 1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden but not dark brown, about 20 seconds. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes and add them to the pot along with 1/2 cup water, basil, and season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Serve. Yield: Makes about 3 cups

PIZZA WITH ASPARAGUS, SPRING ONIONS, PANCETTA, AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Heat a large, wide-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions, and a large pinch of salt. Cook until the onions are soft, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and lowering the heat if needed to keep them from browning. Let cool.
• Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus. Slice the trimmed spears on the diagonal about 1/4 inch thick.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to chill quickly. Pat dry.
• Season the ricotta with salt and white pepper.
• At least 45 minutes before baking, put a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to its highest setting (500°F to 550°F).
• With lightly floured fingers, flatten a ball of pizza dough into a round on a lightly floured work surface. Pick up the round with both hands and, grasping the round by an edge, rotate the dough clockwise between your fingertips, always holding it by the edge. As you rotate the dough, stretch it into an 8-inch circle; the dough will also stretch and lengthen from its own weight. Alternatively, drape the flattened round over your lightly floured knuckles and rotate the dough, moving your knuckles slightly farther apart, until the round stretches into an 8-inch circle.
• Place on a pizza peel lightly dusted with cornmeal or durum flour. Work quickly now to prevent sticking.
• Using one-quarter of the onion mixture, spread it evenly over the surface of the dough. Scatter asparagus over the onions, using one-quarter of the total. Dollop one-quarter (4 ounces) of the ricotta on the pizza in 7 to 8 mounds. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Arrange 5 pancetta slices, still coiled in rounds, on top, spacing them evenly.
• Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone and bake until the crust is brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Cut into slices and serve hot. Repeat with the remaining three balls of dough and the remaining topping.
• Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc or another lean and refreshing white wine.