Apple, Bacon and Caramelized Onion Pizza

If you haven't caramelized anything yet, this is your time to try. Caramelizing is to cook food with sugar so that is becomes coated with caramel. In this fall themed recipe, pizza is taken on by onions, apples and a cheesy punch with fontina and sharp white cheddar cheese. This recipe has the perfect mixture of crispy, salty and sweet, kind of like the perfect pie. Next pizza Friday make your own pizza rather than ordering out!
 
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Difficulty: Medium

INGREDIENTS

Crust
  • 1 package Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup very warm water
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • oil for brushing
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Caramelized Onions
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • sprinkle of salt
For the Pizza
  • 1 apple, thinly sliced
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/2 cup fontina cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese
  • 3 basil leaves roughly torn

DIRECTIONS

Crust

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt into a large bowl.  Add water and oil and mix until blended.
  3. Gradually add enough flour until a soft dough ball is formed.
  4. Knead on a floured surface, adding additional flour if needed, until smooth and elastic.  With a floured rolling pin, roll out pizza into 14 x 10 inch rectangle.  Place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with oil and sprinkle with garlic powder.
Caramelized Onions
  1. Place butter and oil into a medium pan set over medium low heat.
  2. Add onions and stir to coat in oil and butter.  Arrange in a single layer and cook stirring occasionally until golden brown.
  3. After cooking, sprinkle with salt.
For the Pizza
  1. Top crust with 1/4 cup fontina and 1/4 cup white cheddar cheese.
  2. Arrange apple slices all over the top of the cheese.  Add caramelized onions and bacon.
  3. Sprinkle with remaining fontina and white cheddar cheese.  Sprinkle with gorgonzola cheese and bake 15-18 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.
  4. Sprinkle with torn basil leaves, cut and serve.

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