The sweetness of golden onions joins piquant olives, slightly bitter greens, and rich cheeses in this delicious pizza.
Yields topping for one 13-inch round pizza, two 9-inch round pizzas, or a 10 x 13-inch rectangular pizza
Prep time, with crust ready: 30 minutes
Baking time: 10 to 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Pizza Crust (or for gluten-free crust)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
¼ teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
6 packed cups chopped escarole (about 10 ounces)
⅓ cup chopped pitted olives (Kalamata, Niçoise, and Gaeta are nice)
1 cup grated Fontina Valle d’Aosta cheese (see headnote)
⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Preheat the oven to 450°F. (If making a gluten-free crust, preheat the oven to 425°F, and follow the recipe directions for prebaking the crust before adding the topping.) To shape the crust, follow the directions in the pizza dough recipe.
In a skillet on medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and cook the onions, sprinkled with the salt, until lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a pot large enough to hold all the greens, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, add the garlic and briefly sauté, then add the escarole. Cook on medium heat, adding a couple of tablespoons of water if needed to prevent scorching or sticking, until the escarole is tender but not soggy. Add the onions. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
Spread the escarole mixture on the pizza crust, sprinkle on the olives, and top with the cheeses. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the crust is browned and the cheeses have melted.
In place of the escarole, use other greens, such as kale, Swiss chard, radicchio, or spinach.
Lemony Roasted Beets or Roasted Winter Squash Agrodolce are tasty accompaniments to this pizza.