2011, Recipe 99: Potato, Sage & Rosemary Pizza

Recipe courtesy of Epicurious.com

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 ounces unpeeled small Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into very thin rounds

• 1 (13.8-ounce) tube refrigerated pizza dough
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (I used dried)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 cup (packed) grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

 Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add potato slices in single layer. sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes. Cool briefly. Unroll dough on rimmed baking sheet. Scatter potato slices over dough, leaving 3/4-inch plain border. Sprinkle with rosemary, sage, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sprinkle with cheeses to cover.

Bake pizza until crust is crisp and cheeses melt, about 20 minutes. Using metal spatula, loosen crust from sheet. Slide out onto platter or board and serve. 

Results: We both agreed... strange.  Not bad... just strange.  I always roll my pizza out on cornmeal so that was awesome but the potatoes were soft against the crunchy crust.  I don't think I need to eat a pizza with potatoes anymore though.

2011, Recipe 80: Bacon, Mushroom, Carmelized Onion & Garlic Confit Pizza

I based this recipe on one from Epicurious.com.   

• 3 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 6 large garlic cloves, chopped slightly larger than minced
• 8 ounces assorted fresh wild mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

•  1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 ball of pizza dough
• 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
• 1 cup mixed shredded Italian cheeses

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add onion to the pan.  Cook gently until onions are soft and brown.  Remove from pan.  Add oil and garlic to skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until garlic is golden, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and rosemary; cover and cook over high heat until mushrooms are tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 8 hours ahead; chill bacon and vegetables.) 

Preheat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle cornmeal on your rolling surface.  Roll out pizza dough.  Place rolled out pizza crust on baking sheet. Sprinkle cheeses, spread sauce, then top with vegetable mixture and bacon. Bake until cheese melts, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven.  Sprinkle with a little more chopped fresh rosemary. Let stand 2 minutes. Cut and serve. 

Results: YUMMMMYYYYY!!! We loved this!  Ol delicious fancy pizza!  The garlic confit made it!!!  And you know what?  Didn't even really need the bacon.  Next time I'll use barbeque sauce instead of spaghetti sauce to change it up.