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Pizzetta with Caramelized Onions, Wild Mushrooms and Rosemary

Wine Pairing: Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon

Ingredients

• Cornmeal Pizza Dough

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or honey
  • 1 cup warm water (110° to 115°F-warm to the touch like bath water, but not hot)
  • 1/4 ounce (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) bacon
  • 2 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup fine cornmeal
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Caramelized Onions

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced thinly, lengthwise
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

• Wild Mushrooms

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon canola oil
  • 1/2 pound wild mushrooms (such as oyster, chanterelle, stemmed shiitake), coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons shallots, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
  • 3 Tablespoons sherry or brandy
  • 1 Tablespoon rosemary needles, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• Other

  • Flour (unbleached, all-purpose) for dusting/kneading dough
  • Cornmeal for dusting pizza pan
  • Olive oil for the rising dough and for brushing the rolled-out dough
  • 6 ounces grated Fontina
  • Lemon juice
  • Parsley leaves for garnish

Directions

Proof the Yeast: In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar into the warm water. (Use an instant-read thermometer for temperature accuracy.) Sprinkle the yeast over the water/sugar mixture and stir gently until it dissolves. Let the mixture sit in a warm spot until a thin layer of foam covers the surface indicating that the yeast is effective, about 5 minutes. (If the bubbles have not formed within 5 minutes, discard the mixture and start over.)

Cook Bacon: Preheat oven to 375°F. Put the bacon on a cooling rack over a sheet pan. Transfer to the oven and cook until crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Let cool on the cooling rack. Once cool, chop finely and transfer to a small bowl. Raise oven temperature to 500°F.

Make/Knead the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour the yeast/water mixture and the olive oil into the well. Stir the flour in a little at a time, until the flour is incorporated and the dough just begins to hold together. Add the cooked; finely chopped bacon. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough gently as follows: press down on the dough with the heels of your hands and push it away from you, then partially fold it back over itself. Shift it in a quarter turn and repeat the procedure. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5·7 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl, turning to coat it completely on all sides with oil. (This prevents a hard crust from forming that would inhibit rising.) Cover the bowl tightly with plastic. Set the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place (75° - 85°F), until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Caramelized Onions: Heat butter and oil in 10-inch skillet over moderate heat. Add onions, salt, sugar and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are a caramel color and soft, about 20 minutes. If the pan gets too dry as the onions are cooking, add 1/4 cup of water. Cool slightly in the refrigerator. (Can be made a day ahead.)

Saute Mushrooms: Heat butter and oil in a large saute pan over moderate heat. Add mushrooms, garlic and shallots. Saute for 4 minutes. Add wine and sherry/brandy and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Add rosemary and salt. Remove from heat.

Pizza Toppings: Grate the Fontina. Set aside.

Roll It out: Once the dough has doubled in bulk, remove from the bowl and cut in half. Do not work the dough at this point, as it will make it too elastic when you try to roll it out. Instead, generously dust the dough with flour and begin to roll out in a 14" circle. Transfer the dough to a baking pan that has been dusted with cornmeal. Brush the crust with olive oil. Sprinkle the dough with the Fontina. Sprinkle with caramelized onions and mushrooms. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden, about 8-10 minutes. Squeeze some lemon juice on the pizza, garnish with parsley leaves and serve.

Makes enough dough for 2, 14-inch pizzas.