Walnut Gorgonzola Pizza Recipes

ONION CONFIT, WALNUT AND GORGONZOLA PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoons salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.Saute over medium heat, gently scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to keep the onions from sticking as they caramelize. After about 35 minutes, the onions should be a rich golden color and very sweet. Add the garlic, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan with it. Set the confit aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 500*F.
• Roll out the dough and place it on a lightly oiled pizza pan. Brush with olive oil.
• Spread the confit on the dough and sprinkle on the walnuts. Follow with the Gorgonzola cheese, then the mozzarella.
• Bake the pizza for about 8-12 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Remove it from the oven and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and sage.

CARAMELIZED-ONION AND GORGONZOLA GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat until it shimmers, then cook onions with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, covered, stirring occasionally, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and keep warm, covered.
• Prepare a grill for direct-heat cooking over low charcoal (medium heat for gas).
• Stretch dough into a roughly 12- by 10-inch rectangle on a large baking sheet and brush with 1 Tbsp oil.
• Bring dough, onions, cheese, nuts, parsley, and remaining Tbsp oil to grill area.
• Oil grill rack, then put dough, oiled side down, on grill and brush top with remaining Tbsp oil. Grill, covered, until underside is golden brown, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes.
• Using tongs, return crust to baking sheet, turning crust over (grilled side up). Sprinkle evenly with onions, cheese, nuts, and parsley. Slide pizza from sheet onto grill and grill, covered, until underside is golden brown and cheese is partially melted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into pieces.

GOURMET PEAR, WALNUT & GORGONZOLA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Heat oil in non-stick skillet, add onions and saute until softened (7-8 minutes). Add pears and saute for 2 more minutes.
• Add vinegar and pepper and keep stirring until all liquid is evaporated and onions are covered with a glaze.
• Divide the mixture between the wraps. Add the cheese and walnuts.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND GORGONZOLA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Thinly slice each cube of butternut squash and toss in a small bowl with the olive oil. Thinly slice the onion and sage.
• Sprinkle a work surface with the cornmeal and use a rolling pin and/or your hands to stretch the dough into a 12-inch circle. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the dough onto it.
• Crumble the gorgonzola and sprinkle it evenly all over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border for the crust. Scatter the squash and onion on top of the cheese. Sprinkle the sage on top.
• Bake until the cheese is melted, the squash is softened and the crust is almost browned, about 11 minutes. Scatter the walnuts over the pizza and bake until they are lightly toasted, an additional 2 minutes. Slice the pizza into 8 wedges.

OVEN-BAKED PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, GORGONZOLA, AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook onions with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, covered, stirring occasionally, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and keep warm, covered.
• Put a large heavy baking sheet (17 by 14 inches) on lowest rack of oven, then preheat oven to 500°F.
• Meanwhile, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, stretching corners with your hands to form a 16- by 13-inch rectangle. (Dough will be easier to roll out as it warms.) Transfer to a large tray lined with sheet of parchment paper. Lightly prick dough all over with a fork, then slide dough (on parchment) from tray onto hot baking sheet.
• Bake until top is puffed and pale golden in patches, about 10 minutes. (Prick any large bubbles with a fork and flatten.) Remove crust from oven and leave oven on.
• Sprinkle crust evenly with cheese, walnuts, and parsley. Bake pizza until edge of crust is deep golden, cheese is bubbling and golden in patches, and underside is golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, BELGIAN ENDIVE, GORGONZOLA, AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Put the onions, olive oil, thyme sprig, and a large pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, moist, and steaming in their own juices but not browned, about 30 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to medium, and continue cooking, stirring often, until the onions are well caramelized and meltingly tender, 15 minutes or more depending on how moist they are.
• Cut the endives crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Separate into individual layers. Discard the cores. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, endive, sugar, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Cook until the endives are soft and tender, stirring occasionally to prevent browning, 5 to 10 minutes. You should have about 1 cup.
• Bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Simmer until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• At least 45 minutes before baking, put a pizza stone on a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to its highest setting (500°F to 550°F).
• With lightly floured fingers on a lightly floured work surface, flatten a ball of pizza dough into a round. 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 the dough on a pizza peel lightly dusted with cornmeal or durum flour. Work quickly now to prevent sticking.
• Spread one-quarter of the onion mixture over the dough. Scatter about 1/4 cup endive over the onions, then place several small spoonfuls of the cheese on top, using a total of 1 1/2 ounces. Slide onto the pizza stone and bake until the crust is brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Scatter 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts and a sprinkle of parsley on top and drizzle with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the balsamic syrup. Cut into serving slices and serve while still warm. Repeat with the remaining 3 balls of dough.
• Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon or another full-bodied red wine.

CIABATTA PIZZA WITH GORGONZOLA, WALNUT PESTO, AND PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Toast nuts on baking sheet until brown, about 6 minutes. Maintain oven temperature. Transfer hot nuts to processor. Add oil, honey, and thyme; blend until nuts are finely chopped. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place bread halves, cut side up, on baking sheet. Spread pesto over bread, about 1 cup per side. Top with Havarti. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 12 minutes. Top with prosciutto, then pears and Gorgonzola. Tuck in arugula. Sprinkle with pepper.

CHICKEN, WALNUT, AND GORGONZOLA PIZZA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, sauté onion and mushrooms in heated olive oil until onions are golden brown.
• Add in the chicken and continue cooking 4-5 minutes.
• Remove skillet from heat; spread mixture on the unbaked pizza crust.
• Sprinkle walnuts, sage, and Gorgonzola cheese over the top.
• Bake in a 425°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese has melted and crust is golden brown.