Yield: 2 pizzas/8 servings (2 slices per serving)
All things autumn was the inspiration for this absolutely addicting pizza. I’ve enjoyed it three or four times this week and I have not yet had my fill!
Homemade pizza dough is so quick and easy to make that there isscarcely any reason to purchase it, especially since it can be frozen. Hands on prep time is just minutes, but it does take a couple of hours to rise. So, if youare super pressed for time andfavor a brand like Trader Joe’s frozendough, then go for it. If youchoose the purchasedroute, I would definitely recommend a prepared dough as opposed to a prepared crust.
Mydough of choicecomes frommy Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes. My recipecalls for a combination of self-rising and whole wheat flours. However, for the pizza pictured, I didn’t have either, so I used all white whole wheat flour with some baking powder. The only difference I foundis that it makes a softer dough and, hence, requiresadditional flour.The crustmade this way also benefits froma couple of minutes in the oven before topping it and returning it to the oven to insure that the crust doesn’tbecome soggy.
Make the dough at least 3 hours before youplan toserve the pizza.
Blooming Platter Pizza Dough
Yield: 2 approximate 8-inch crusts
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons self-risingflour (or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white whole wheat or all purpose flourcombined with1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder and a scant 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
Note: you may substitute all white whole wheat or all-purpose flour for both of the above. However, you will need considerably more flour, added 1/4 cup at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic, but slightlysticky.
1 teaspoon “quick rise” yeast
1 teaspoon natural sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons tepid water
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil plus 1 teaspoon to oil the bowl
Place all ofthe dry ingredients in a large bowl, stir to combine, and make a well in the center. Add the water and 2 teaspoons olive oil to the well and stir the wet and dry ingredients together with a fork until fully incorporated.
Knead for 5 minutes with oiled hands or until the dough is smooth and elastic, but slightly sticky. I knead it right in the bowl. Do not over-knead. Lift out the dough and pour the remaining teaspoon of olive oil into the bottom of the bowl and spread to coat the interior with your fingers.
Return the dough to the bowl, rolling it around on both sides to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl loosely with a damp kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. While the dough rises, prepare the other ingredients.
Next prepare Rosemary-Garlic Olive Oil:
1/4 cup olive oil (makes sure it is super flavorful)
1 5-inch stalk of fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
Combine all ingredients in a small cup and set aside.
Prepare the Apple Cider VinegarReduction:
1/2 cupapple cidervinegar
2tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon maple syrup
Pinchsea salt
Combine ingredients in a 1-quart saucepan and simmerover medium-high until reduced to 1/4 cup.Reduceheatif necessary, so that mixture doesn’tscorch. Pour into a small ramekin or cupand set aside.
Before preparing topping, preheat oven to 450 degrees.Place two pizza stones (ortwo invertedbaking sheets) into the oven andheat for 30 minutes.
Caramelized Onion and Apple Topping:
2tablespoon olive oil
2medium-large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4small-medium apples, stemmed, cored, cut into 1/4-inch wedges; cutwedges crosswise into 3 to 4 pieces
Sea salt to taste
1/2 cup Blooming Platter Smokey Cheddar Vegan Cheese Spread
Optional garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs
Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute, stirring frequently, for approximately 15 minutes or untilonions arebeginning to develop a golden color. Reduce heat if necessary to prevent onions from scorching. Add apple,2 tablespoons of the Apple Cider Vinegar Reduction, and a pinch of salt, and continue sauteing and stirring about 10 minutes, or until onion is deeply colored and apple is tender and has developed some color. Add water, a teaspoonat a time as needed if mixture appears to be drying out. Check for salt and adjust if necessary. Remove the skillet from the heat.
To Assemble:
Remove the rosemary from the olive oil, strip the leaves off the stalk, mince, and set aside.
Lay two 10-inch sheets of aluminum foil, shiny side down, on a work surface. Spray each sheet lightly with non-stick pray. With hands lightly dusted with flour, divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball, and place one in the center of each piece of foil.
Beginning in the center of the ball and working your way tothe edges, use your fingertips and palms to gently press the dough into a circle about 8 1/2 inches in diameter, leaving a slightly raised 1/4-inch wide rim.Brushthe entire surface of each very lightly with the Rosemary-Garlic Olive Oil; you will likely have some left over.Lifteach piece of foil one ata time, crust and all,holding it taught, and placeon one of thebaking stones. Bake for 2 minutes. Remove the stones from the oven and dividethe onion-appletopping between the two crusts, spreading evenly to the rims. Divide theCheese Spread between the pizzas, dotting the top of each with teaspoon-size dollops. Sprinkle each with half of the minced rosemary. Return the stonesto the oven and cook the pizzas for 9-11 minutes or until the crust is golden and the topping is bubbly, switching the position of the stoneshalfway through if pizzas seem to be cooking unevenly.Remove the stonesfrom the oven andslide the pizzas, one at a time, onto a cutting board.Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Apple Cider Vinegar and cut each into 8 wedges.Serve immediately garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs.
Note: this pizza reheats beautifully on a pizza stone in a preheated 3350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
