Louises Onion Pizza Recipes

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.

PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, FIGS, BACON AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• At least 45 minutes before cooking, preheat the oven and pizza stone to 550 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the onions, thyme and bay leaves. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions begin to wilt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and turn a deep, golden brown, about 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves and transfer the onions to a small bowl.
• Place the bacon in the pan and set over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl.
• Place the pizza dough on a heavily floured surface and stretch and pull, using your hands or a rolling pin, into about a 14-inch round. Place on a lightly floured pizza peel or rimless baking sheet. Cover with the toppings, careful not to press on the dough and weigh it down: the caramelized onions first, then the figs and bacon, and finally the Gorgonzola, leaving roughly a 1/2 inch border. Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick, forward-and-back motion. Cook until the crust has browned on the bottom and the top is bubbling and browning in spots, about 7 minutes. Drizzle with a little olive oil and some cracked black pepper. Serve hot. Makes 1 pizza.

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.

CARAMELISED ONION & FETA PIZZAS

Steps:

• Peel, then slice the onions into thin wedges. Thinly slice the garlic. Heat the butter and oil in a large wok or frying pan, tip in the onions and garlic and cook over a medium-high heat for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then until golden. Stir in the sugar and cook a minute or two longer. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/gas 7.
• Put the pizza bases on two oiled baking sheets. Spoon the onion mixture over the pizza bases. Now crumble over the feta and scatter with rosemary. Grind over some black pepper and drizzle with a little oil. Bake for 10 minutes and serve with a green salad.

CARAMELISED ONION & GOAT'S CHEESE PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the flour into a mixer with a dough hook, or a bowl. Add the yeast, salt, oil and just under 100ml warm water then mix to a soft dough. Knead in the food mixer for about 5 mins, but if making this by hand, tip onto a work surface and knead for about 10 mins. The dough is sticky, but try not to add too much extra flour. Leave in the bowl and cover with a tea towel while you make the topping. There is no need to let the dough prove for a specific time - just let it sit while you get on with the next step.
• Tip the onions into a non-stick wok and add the oil, 4 tbsp water and balsamic vinegar. Cover with a saucepan lid that sits inside the pan to help the onions soften, then cook for 15 mins, stirring about 3 times and replacing the lid quickly so as not to lose too much moisture. After the time is up, the onions should be golden and all the liquid gone. Tip onto a plate. Add the spinach and garlic to the pan and stir-fry until the spinach has wilted.
• Take the dough from the bowl and cut in half with an oiled knife, then press each piece into a 25-15 cm oval on a large greased baking sheet with oiled hands. Don't knead the dough first otherwise it will be too elastic and it will keep shrinking back.
• Spread with the spinach followed by the onions, then dot with the cheese and scatter with the olives, thyme and sunflower seeds. Bake for 15 mins until golden and the base is cooked through.

LOUISE'S ONION PIZZA

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onions and garlic, and saute, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours or until the onions are caramelized and reduced in volume to about a quarter of the raw amount. 2. Add the herbes de Provence and salt to the onions, mix well, and let cool a bit. 3. Oil an 10-x-15-inch baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place the dough on the sheet, and press it over the surface with your hands. Flatten it further with a rolling pin. Spread the onion mixture on top, scatter with olives, and let rise 30 minutes. 4. Bake on the bottom rack of a 400°F oven for 15 minutes, or until the bottom of the crust is golden brown. 5. Cut the hot pizza into squares and serve.

CARAMELIZED ONION PIZZAS

Steps:

• Cut onion into thin slices.
• Cook onions in the butter on medium low heat for about 15 minutes.
• Add the sugar and cook for about 5 more minutes.
• Spread each shell with a little olive oil, especially the edges.
• Spread pesto sauce on each pizza shell.
• Top with onions.
• Top with cheese.
• Bake for about 9 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the pizza is warmed through.