Mediterranean Pizza With Caramelized Onions Recipes

MEDITERRANEAN PIZZA RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. IF you're using a pizza stone, place it in the oven.
• On a baking sheet or a pizza peel, roll out the pizza dough to 12 inches.
• Spread olive oil on the dough and sprinkle salt, thyme, black pepper and dried basil on the pizza dough.
• Top the pizza dough with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, red onion and fresh mozzarella.
• Transfer the pizza onto the pizza stone (if using) and bake in the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and the dough is crispy on the edges.
• Top with fresh tomatoes and chopped parsley.
• Serve immediately.

ITALIAN POLENTA PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND KALAMATA OLIVES (GLUTEN FREE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bring milk, water, ¼ cup olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil.
• Stir polenta in slowly to avoid lumps. Turn heat down to low. Stir until polenta is thick (about 5 minutes for instant polenta). Remove from heat.
• Oil a cookie sheet or pizza pan. Add polenta and press down to desired pizza thickness (I like a fairly thin crust).
• Bake in oven for about 35 minutes.
• While crust is baking, saute onions and mushrooms in ¼ cup olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add wine, ¼ teaspoon salt and thyme. Saute until liquid has dissipated (about 3-5 more minutes). Remove from heat.
• Remove crust from oven. Top with tomato sauce, onion/mushroom mixture, cheese and olives.
• Bake for another 15 minutes.

PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND CRISPY BACON

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• In a medium size saute pan, add olive oil and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the bacon and cook until the bacon is very crispy and all of the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan and discard. Place the pan over high heat. Add the onions to the hot bacon fat and cook until the onions are well browned, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
• In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone and farmer's cheeses. Season with nutmeg and black pepper. Reserve.
• On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the dough as thinly as possible, about 14 to 15-inch circle. Evenly spread the mascarpone mixture over the dough. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, bacon, thyme, and sauteed onion. Bake until the pizza crust is nicely browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove pizza from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, cut into slices and serve immediately.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4 cup warm water.
• In a food processor, combine the flour and the salt. Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup of water and process until the mixture forms a ball. (The pizza dough can also be made in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until the mixture comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and starts to climb up the dough hook).
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand 2 or 3 minutes longer. The dough should be smooth and firm. Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours. (When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled).
• Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Then on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 1 hour. At this point, the balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

MEDITERRANEAN PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• To caramelize the onions, heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, add onions, garlic and herbs. Cook over low heat for 45 minutes or until onions are soft and most of the moisture has evaporated. Discard the bay leaf; add salt and pepper to taste.
• To roast the bell peppers, core, cut in half and place on broiler pan skin side up; preheat broiler to high and place peppers under broiler for 10 to 15 minutes or until skin blackens. With a pair of tongs, place the cooked peppers in a paper bag, fold top closed, and cool for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle remove skin and slice into thin strips.
• To roast the eggplant and tomatoes, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an ovenproof pan with non-stick cooking spray; add the eggplant, tomatoes, basil, capers and drizzle with olive oil, place in oven and cook for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. When eggplant is cooked, add pepper to taste.
• For the toppings, finely mince the fresh herbs or crush the dried herbs; add the herbs to 3 tablespoons olive oil and warm until herbs are fragrant. Set aside while preparing crust.
• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over 1 cup warm water; stir to mix. Allow to stand for 5 minutes or until bubbly. In a medium size bowl, combine the flours and measure 1 1/2 cups; set aside. Add the salt to the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour; stir in yeast and oil. Gradually add the reserved flour until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead until smooth; place in a bowl that has been lightly oiled with olive oil. Allow to rise for 20 minutes or until double in size.
• While assembling the pizza, preheat oven to 475 degrees; oil a large pizza pan (15 inch) with olive oil. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 times; roll into desired size, stretch dough to sides of pan forming crust around the edges.
• Brush dough within 1/4 inch of crust with olive oil and herb mixture, top with crumbled feta cheese, onions, eggplant mixture, bell peppers and olives. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over all and lightly drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is lightly brown.
• Serve immediately with additional parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
• Pleasse Note: Do not put hot toppings on pizza crust. Toppings should be at least room temperature.

CARAMELIZED ONION PIZZA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan cook the onions and garlic in hot olive oil over medium heat.
• Cook, covered for 10-15 min or until the onion is very tender, stirring occasionally.
• Set the onions aside.
• Heat grill to medium heat.
• Toast one side of each bread round directly over the heat for 1-2 minute.
• Remove from the grill.
• Top the toasted side of each bread round with the onion mixture, sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and Romano cheese.
• Return bread rounds to the grill, over indirect heat.
• Cover the girll and cook for 5-10 min or until the cheese is melted and toppings are heated through.
• Remove from the grill and top with basil before serving.

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.

ZUCCHINI AND CARAMELIZED-ONION PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with a rack in lower third. Heat 2 tablespoonsoil in a skillet over medium-high. Add onions and garlic;cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and golden, about10 minutes. Meanwhile, brush a 13-by-18-inch rimmed bakingsheet with 2 tablespoons oil. Place dough on center of sheet and,using your hands, stretch and fit it to edges.
• Toss zucchini with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; season with saltand pepper. Spread onion mixture evenly over dough, leaving a1/2-inch border. Top with zucchini; sprinkle with feta.
• Bake until crust is golden brown and zucchini is tender, about25 minutes. Top with olives and mint; sprinkle with red-pepperflakes. Cut into pieces and serve.

CARAMELIZED-ONION PIZZA WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onions with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 15 minutes more. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and deep golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Remove from heat and cool to warm, about 10 minutes.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 475°F.
• While onions cool, coat pizza dough with 1 tablespoon oil in a 17- by 12-inch shallow baking pan and stretch and press dough to cover bottom (dough may be resistant to stretching at first, but it will soon relax). Spread onions evenly over dough. Toss mushrooms with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining tablespoon oil in a bowl, then spread evenly over onions. Crumble cheese evenly over mushrooms.
• Bake pizza until underside of dough is golden and cheese is beginning to brown, 14 to 16 minutes.

EASY MEDITERRANEAN PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush pizza shell with olive oil.
• Spread pesto sauce thoroughly over the surface of the shell, leaving the edge as a crust.
• Top with olives, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, wilted spinach leaves and cover with cheeses.
• Place pizza directly on oven rack for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted from centre to edge.
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.