Pizza Time!

We have been lucky to enjoy a few very nice spring days.  I love morning bird songs and that inexplicable warm feeling that tells all your senses that spring has finally arrived. I always feel elated and inspired when the sun picks through the trees and kisses our deck. Except that now our deck is completely covered in pollen. It has been an incredibly intense pollen season here on the island with thick clouds of yellow dust permeating the air, irritating our nasal passages, and making our cars look rusty…Oops, I have started to drift… Must be pollen…

But the spring is HERE! And that means fresh produce, new beginnings, and new recipes. I have been fiddling with the idea of a new meat-free pizza for quite some time and, after watching the “pizza” episode of The Worst Cooks in America, I got inspired to create a meatless version of our family’s favorite meal.  I know that the show titled The Worst Cooks in America could not possibly sound authoritative or special, but I really like how Bobby Flay and Anne Burrell share their techniques with their rather unassuming trainees. So, I turned to The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook to find one of my favorite pizza dough recipes. I then came up with the toppings based on what I had available in my fridge and what I saw on one of Bobby Flay’s creations.  This recipe is a little bit involved, because caramelizing the onions and preparing the mushrooms can take some time, but I promise that the end result is totally worth it. This dish is also very versatile and you may add or omit any of the toppings. I do think though that adding organic greens (especially, peppery arugula) drizzled with balsamic and olive oil gives it an extra special spring flavor.

Please note that the amount of olive oil necessary for making the toppings and for finishing the dish may vary, as we all have different preferences for the amount of oil in our dishes. I personally like to have “just enough” of it J.

Thin-Crust Pizza with Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, and Organic Greens

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough

Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Makes: about 2 (12-13 inch) pizzas

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the counter
• 1 1/8 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast (1/2 envelope)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¾ cup water, warm

Topping

• 1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, cleaned, patted dry, and sliced (about 2 ½ cups)
• 1 large yellow or Walla Walla sweet onion, thinly cut lengthwise
• 1 ½ cup Cheddar cheese or Gruyere cheese, or Gouda, grated
• ½ Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 1 cup organic greens mix (if store-bought, I prefer Organic Girl 50/50)
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, divided,
• 1 Tbsp good olive oil, divided
• More olive oil for caramelizing onions and sautéing mushrooms

*To Make Pizza Dough:

1. Pulse 2 cups of the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor to combine. Use a dough blade is possible.
2. With the processor running, pour the oil, and then the water through the feed tube and process until a rough ball forms, about 40 seconds.
3. Let the dough rest for 2 minutes, then process for 30 seconds longer. 
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead by hand, approximately 5 minutes, until a smooth, round ball forms. Use the remaining ¼ cup flour to prevent the dough form sticking.
5. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm places until doubled in size, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

While the dough is rising…

For Mushroom, Caramelized Onion, and Organic Greens Pizza

*Caramelized Onions

Adapted from Elise Bauer and Simply Recipes

I absolutely love Elise Bauer’s recipe for caramelized onions. I have shortened the description a bit.  I also often shorten my cooking time by a 10 minutes or so.  I feel that adding a splash of balsamic vinegar is essential for a nice finishing touch of caramelization process.

1. Heat 1-2 Tbsp (depending on how large you pan is) of olive oil in a large thick-bottom saute pan on medium-high heat. Add the onion and stir to coat with the oil. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan and let cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may need to reduce heat to medium to prevent the onions from sticking and burning.
2. After 10 minutes, sprinkle the onions with some salt and, if desired, sugar to speed up the process of caramelization. You may also add a little bit of water to the pan, to prevent onions from drying out. 
3. Let cook for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes, letting them stick a little, and then scraping them off to prevent burning.
4. Make sure to regulate the temperate and, if needed, reduce it to low.
5. Continue to stir and scrape until the onions have a golden brown color. Add 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan and add some additional flavor to the onions.

*Sautéed Mushrooms

Adapted from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Heat another large sauté pan on medium high heat and coat it with 1-2 tablespoons of butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil (you may omit the butter and use just olive instead).

Add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes.  Child notes that during sautéing, the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes, the fat will reappear on their surface and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they are browned lightly, remove from heat.

To Complete the Dish 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F.  
2. Once the dough has double in size, turn it out onto a light floured counter, divide in two even pieces, cover with plastic wrap again and let rest for 20 minutes more.
3. Roll out each piece with a rolling pin until it is about 12 inches across. Be careful not to overwork the dough, as it might get stiff.
4. Place the pizza rounds on two flat baking sheets lightly sprinkled with corn meal to prevent sticking and top with desired ingredients
5. Spread one tablespoon of olive oil over each pizza round and evenly divide the rest of the toppings among the pizzas. Bake each pizza until the crust edges are brown for about 15 minutes.
6. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board, top with greens, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Enjoy with a glass of wine.