Yields: 3 pizzas
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
4 cups bread flour
2 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dry active yeast
2 teaspoons honey
1 cup warm water
3 tablespoons TAO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Caramelized Onions
3 tablespoons TAO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced
1 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups fontina cheese, hand grated
1 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
8 fresh figs, halved
4 ounce prosciutto, thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon Pepe e Aglio Seasoning Blend
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 tablespoon fresh Thai basil, chopped
Directions
Place flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add honey, warm water, and extra virgin olive oil, and stir to combine until the dough is semi-formed and a little shaggy. Divide the “rough” dough into 3 portions and place, one portion at a time, in a food processor. Blend each dough portion for 2 minutes, forming a smooth, slightly tacky dough ball. (Add a bit more flour if the dough is too sticky and not forming into a ball).
Place each dough ball in its large zipper bag in the refrigerator. Let the dough rest for 24 hours.
When ready to make the pizzas, remove the dough from the fridge 2 hours before baking, and place each dough ball in a lightly floured bowl (one dough per bowl). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500°F, placing an oven rack right in the center. If using a pizza stone (highly recommended), put the stone in the oven to preheat.
Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, sprinkle sliced onions into the skillet, covering the bottom of the pan. Brown onions, occasionally stirring, for 20-30 minutes, adding a little bit of wine (2-3 tablespoons) to the pan every 5 minutes or so until deeply caramelized. Remove from the heat and set aside.
While the onions are caramelizing, place black truffle balsamic in a small saucepan, and bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Simmer the balsamic for 5-8 minutes, carefully swirling the saucepan occasionally, until reduced by half and thickened (lightly coating the bottom of the saucepan); remove from the heat, and set aside.
Once the dough has rested and risen (working with one pizza dough at a time), turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and, using your hands, flatten it into a flat circle. Begin stretching the dough by draping it over your knuckles, and working in a circular motion, gingerly stretching/pulling the dough into a 12-14 inch circle. Place the dough on a floured pizza peel (alternatively, you can use 2 long metal spatulas) and, using a fork, dock (or poke) the pizza to reduce air bubbles.
Divide the onions into roughly 3 portions, evenly spread one portion over the top of the pizza dough, leaving 1/2 inch of border around the edge. Top the pizza evenly with 1/2 cup fontina cheese and 1/4 cup gorgonzola crumbles. Carefully transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the pizza is golden and crisp. The cheese should be melted and lightly browned in spots.
Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 2-3 minutes (allowing the cheese to settle). Cut pizza into 6 slices and top each piece with a fig halve and prosciutto. Drizzle the pizza with reduced balsamic and sprinkle with Pepe e Aglio seasoning, rosemary sea salt, and chopped basil before serving.