Chanterelle Pizza

This is a great appetizer. I love serving it to guests with a glass of prosecco.

YOU WILL NEED:

• 2-4 oz fresh chanterelles

• 4 oz of Italian fontina - get a good one

• 1-2 cloves garlic

• Olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Semolina for the pizza pan/peel

• A basting brush (silicone ones are great)

Pizza dough

In a mixing bowl combine:

• ½ cup milk

• 1/2 cup hot water

• 1 T dry yeast

• 2 t sugar or honey

• 1 T olive oil

Add to liquids:

• 3 cups flour (I use a combination of white all-purpose and whole wheat)

• ¾ t kosher salt

Mix together using dough hook (adding more flour as necessary) then knead by hand until smooth. 

Cover well with plastic wrap (rub surface with olive oil, too) and let sit about an hour until doubled. 

Knead again and let it rise a second time until doubled. Knead again and divide into 2 equal sized balls. Knead each ball until smooth and cover and let sit at least five minutes before rolling out.

Preparing the pizzas

Preheat oven and pizza stone to 500°

Clean, trim and slice chanterelles into strips.

Heat a bit of olive oil, and sauté a clove or two of garlic (smashed a bit, but essentially whole) and a pinch of chili flakes. Throw in chanterelles and a pinch of kosher salt. Sauté until the chanterelles soften and darken a bit, then remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Grate 1-2 cups of fontina

Sprinkle a baking sheet with a thin layer of semolina

In a small basting bowl, pour in ¼ cup olive oil and chop or press the garlic and add to the oil

Roll out one of the dough balls as thin as you like it (use a rolling pin to get it pretty thin, then you can stretch it with your fists. When you’ve got it as thin as you can get it, place on the prepared pan

Baste the dough with the olive oil/garlic (use a silicone or regular basting brush)

Top with chanterelles first, then fontina. Bake for 5-6 minutes, or until the dough is nicely browned around the edges. Baste the crust again, but and serve.