Recipes, Recipes - Pinot Noir

Winter Caramelized Onion, Walnut and Blue Cheese Pizza

Serves 4 to 6 as a main course or 8 as an appetizer

Ingredients:
2 and ½ tablespoons olive oil
5 medium onions, very thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 Tbl dried rosemary
1 Tbl dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp unsalted butter
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
½ recipe cornmeal and white flour pizza dough (recipe follows)
3 Tbl freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Cornmeal and White Flour Pizza Dough
1 envelope yeast (2 and ½ teaspoons)
1 cup warm water
pinch of sugar
½ cup coarse cornmeal
2 to 2 and ½ tablespoons olive oil
3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt

In a large bowl, mix the yeast with the water and sugar and let sit in a warm spot for 5 minutes, or until yeast begins to bubble and foam (the water used to dissolve the yeast should be neither cold nor boiling hot; it should feel warm to the touch). If it doesn’t foam, the yeast is probably dead and should be discarded. Start again with a new, fresh packet of yeast.
Add the cornmeal and 1 and ½ tablespoons of the oil and stir well. Gradually sift the flour and salt into the mixture and stir again until the dough forms a loose ball.
Working on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it feels soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large bowl. Drizzle the dough with about ½ to 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil and gently toss it around so the dough is coated with oil on all sides. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and or plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft free spot for about 2 hours. The dough should double in bulk. Punch down the risen dough and knead it again for just a few minutes. Reshape into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover and let rise another 40 minutes to an hour, or until the dough has risen again.
Punch down the dough and divide in half.

To caramelize the onions: heat 1 and ½ tablespoons of the oil over low heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and the garlic and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and a pale golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, and add the rosemary, sage, and thyme; cook for one minute. Transfer the onions to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat 1 and ½ teaspoons of the oil and the butter over low heat. Add the walnuts and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside (the onions and the walnuts can be made 1 day ahead of time; cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to prepare the pizza).

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven for 425 degrees.
Working on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle, and place on a cookie sheet. Brush 1 teaspoon of the oil on the dough and spread the cooked onions on top. Sprinkle the walnuts on top of the onions and top with the Parmesan cheese. Scatter the gorgonzola over the pizza and drizzle with the remaining ½ teaspoon of oil and a grinding of pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating the pizza once while it bakes. The pizza is ready when the edges of the crust begin to turn golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and cut into wedges.

Recipe by Stonewall Kitchen