Pear, Caramelized Onion & Brie Pizza
People often ask me what pizza dough recipe I use. The truth is, most formulas for pizza dough are the same – flour, yeast, water, olive oil and salt. The key ingredient not many recipes call for is time.
Yeast doughs are a lot like people – the longer it’s alive before it’s baked, the more character it develops. Which means mixing up a batch of dough on Thursday if Friday is pizza night will make all the difference in the world. Let it hang out in the counter, on the fridge – wherever it won’t get into any trouble. Punch it down when it needs taming. The next day, you’ll see its potential in the stretchy bubbles interspersed throughout the dough. Which I apparently took no photos of, I was so preoccupied with the stretching and the topping. And the chilling of the wine – do you know this trick? Wrap a bottle in wet paper towel and put it into the freezer to chill fast.
(Just make sure it’s not in the vicinity of any bananas. Which in our freezer is impossible.)
Pear, Caramelized Onion & Brie Pizza
AuthorJulie
Put 1 cup warm water into a large bowl, add the sugar and sprinkle the yeast overtop; let stand for 5 minutes, until it gets foamy. Add 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, the olive oil and salt and stir until you have a shaggy dough. Let rest for 20 minutes, then knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if you need it – the dough should be tacky, but not too sticky.
If you like, place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat all over. Cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place - if you're in a hurry, it only needs to wait for about an hour, until it's doubled in bulk. If you have time, leave it. When it gets too big, punch it down. If you're going out or to bed, cover it and put it in the fridge, which will slow the rise. Or freeze it. Take it out to thaw or warm up before you use it.
When you're ready for pizza, heat a generous drizzle of oil in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat and sauté the onion for 5 minutes, or until soft and turning golden. Preheat the oven to 450F.
Divide the dough in half and roll or stretch each out into a 9-inch circle or oval. Place each on a parchment-lined or floured baking sheet and top with half the caramelized onions, half the pear slices and half the Brie. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until deep golden. Let rest for a few minutes, then drizzle with honey before slicing.
Ingredients
Directions
Put 1 cup warm water into a large bowl, add the sugar and sprinkle the yeast overtop; let stand for 5 minutes, until it gets foamy. Add 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, the olive oil and salt and stir until you have a shaggy dough. Let rest for 20 minutes, then knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if you need it – the dough should be tacky, but not too sticky.
If you like, place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat all over. Cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place - if you're in a hurry, it only needs to wait for about an hour, until it's doubled in bulk. If you have time, leave it. When it gets too big, punch it down. If you're going out or to bed, cover it and put it in the fridge, which will slow the rise. Or freeze it. Take it out to thaw or warm up before you use it.
When you're ready for pizza, heat a generous drizzle of oil in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat and sauté the onion for 5 minutes, or until soft and turning golden. Preheat the oven to 450F.
Divide the dough in half and roll or stretch each out into a 9-inch circle or oval. Place each on a parchment-lined or floured baking sheet and top with half the caramelized onions, half the pear slices and half the Brie. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until deep golden. Let rest for a few minutes, then drizzle with honey before slicing.
Hi Julie – oh, I miss your posts when you’re gone for a while! We have started a kids cooking club in Carstairs and of course they want to make pizza. This would be a great homework assignment…they could freeze it and bring it back the next week to put on their toppings and bake! They may as well learn how to make a really good dough instead of just an OK one. Thanks.
Mmmm newly made pizza, straight from the oven – the best thing! 😀 x
Thanks Julie,
Your pizza dough recipe is our usual one. However, I did not know it could be left for a day!! I thought it had to be baked right away after the rising.
Did I get a glimpse of a gorgeous new fridge in that wine bottle photo?
Rose
That looks wonderful!
I am guilty of rushing the pizza dough. Definitely won’t be doing that anymore.
Your pizza looks fantastic!
As does your banana.
Thanks Julie
Looks yummy! I want to try this.
Wine? Bananas? Am I missing something?
You have a recipe for “ripe pear loaf” made 7/9/14 on Pinterest, and I cannot find it. Would you please send me the link?
Thank you,
Michele
Somehow half of my email disappeared. Just sending this so you’ll have the complete address.
Exceptional posting. Extremely exciting to study. I really really like to study this kind of a nice short article. Many thanks! keep rocking !!