Gorgonzola bacon and mint pizza - house beautiful

5 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
¾tablespoonActive dry yeast
2cupsWarm water, 108'to 110'F
cupBread flour
1can(14.5-oz) of whole Italian
tablespoonExtra-virgin olive oil
1smallSweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch matchsticks
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼cupTomato sauce
¼cupRipe Gorgonzola cheese,
cupUnbleached white flour
teaspoonSalt
Semolina flour tomatoes crumbled
2Pieces cooked bacon, cut into 1 -inch pieces
1teaspoonFinely sliced fresh mint
1tablespoonPine nuts
4teaspoonsItalian parsley, cut with scissors

Directions

FOR CRUST

FOR TOMATO SAUCE

FOR TOPPING

Prepare crust: In a 1-quart bowl, dissolve yeast in water and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes. Add bread flour, white flour, and salt to mixture and mix well.

Lightly dust a work area with semolina flour and knead dough for about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 5 equal pieces and form into rounds, Cover dough with a moist towel and allow dough to double in size, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Punch dough down, leaving an indentation in the center of each round, cover and allow to rise again. Remove towel, punch dough down again, and Pull and shape each piece into an 8-inch circle, ¼-inch thick and slightly thicker at the edges.

Place a pizza stone on a middle rack in a cold oven, set the temperature at 500'F and heat stone for 30 minutes. Place pizza crusts on stone and bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove crusts from oven and set aside.

Prepare sauce: In a pan over medium heat, cook tomatoes until they are reduced by half, about 30 to 45 minutes. Cool sauce slightly, purse in a blender and set aside.

Prepare topping: In a small skillet over medium heat, saute 1 T olive oil and onions together until onions are limp. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Brush prebaked crust with remaining olive oil, top with tomato sauce, cooked onion mixture, Gorgonzola, and bacon. Sprinkle each surface with mint and pine nuts.

Bake the pizzas on a preheated pizza stone in a 500'F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and crisp. Remove pizzas from oven, sprinkle with parsley and serve. Makes 5 eight-inch, main-course pizzas. To serve pizza as a first course, cut into quarters.

House Beautiful/June/94 Scanned & fixed by Di & Gary