Makes: 1 thick-crust pizza, enough for 4 main-dish or 8 appetizer servings
Time: About 1 hour
This Alsatian “pizza” is an absolute showstopper, covered with creamy fromage blanc (or crème fraîche) and a salty-sweet mixture of finely chopped bacon and onions. The variations (both classics in their own right) are slightly less decadent but equally extraordinary.
1. Heat the oven to 450°F with a pizza stone on a lower rack if you have one. Knead the dough lightly on a lightly floured work surface, sprinkle it with a little flour, and cover it with plastic wrap or a towel. Let it rest while you cook the onions.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions and bacon, sprinkle with pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the thyme.
3. Pat or roll out the dough to a diameter of 12 inches, using more flour as necessary. The process will be easier if you allow the dough to rest occasionally. If you are using the pizza stone, roll or pat out the dough on a peel, as thin as you like it, turning occasionally and sprinkling it with flour as necessary. Otherwise, press the dough into a flat round on a baking sheet. Let the dough rest for 15 to 30 minutes or until it begins to puff ever so slightly.
4. Spread the dough with the fromage blanc, then the onion mixture. Bake until nicely crisp, 15 minutes or more; if the pizza is browning unevenly, rotate it back to front about halfway through the cooking time. Serve hot or at room temperature.
PISSALADIèRE The classic Niçoise pizza, loaded with sweet, soft-cooked onions; salty olives and anchovies add contrast. Be sure to cook the onions very, very slowly: Omit the bacon and fromage blanc. Use 1 large onion and slice it thin. In Step 2, cook the onion slices over medium-low heat with salt and pepper, stirring frequently, until they give up their liquid and become quite soft, at least 15 minutes; don’t let them brown. In Step 4, spread the dough with the onions, then decorate with 6 to 10 anchovies, about 12 black olives (pitted and halved), and 6 to 8 thin tomato slices. Bake as directed.
SICILIAN ONION PIZZA Omit the bacon and fromage blanc. Use 1 large onion and slice it thin; cook the slices as in the previous variation until they are very soft. Stir in 6 to 10 anchovies and cook for 5 minutes more. Stir a 6-ounce can of tomato paste into the onions and cook for a few more minutes over low heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle the rolled-out dough with 2 tablespoons olive oil and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the bottom begins to turn pale golden. Spread the partially baked dough with 1 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh, then spread with the onion mixture. Return to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the bottom is dark golden but not burned and the top is a richly colored caramel. Remove and cool for a few minutes before cutting; best served hot or warm.