Andre Soltner's Alsatian Pizza

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If I can make pizza, you definitely can make pizza.  Of course, I don't make the dough, I buy it.  Then I simply let it stand for 30 minutes until it rises, pound it as hard as if it were a letter from the IRS and roll it as thin as I can.  That is the hardest part, for pizza dough is a tough cookie to deal with.

I recently bought myself the Emile Henri Pizza Stone which I featured in my Christmas gifts post

and I have been making pizzas left and right.  This, aside from the Margherita, is by far my most favorite pizza. 

If you happen to have a Publix where you live, their pizza dough .which is sold in the bakery, is pretty good.

For those of you not familiar with Andre Soltner, he was the legendary chef/owner of Lutece, once considered the best restaurant in New York and where I was lucky to have many a memorable meal in the 80's.  It is long gone but his recipes and his reputation will live fovever.  Andre Soltner was born in Alsace, need I say more?

 

 Makes 4 Servings


Ingredients

1/2 pound frozen pizza or bread dough, thawed

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup fromage blanc or fresh ricotta

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 pound thickly sliced smoky bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1.Divide the dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each piece to a 4-inch round; let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round out to an 8-inch round 1/8 inch thick.

2.Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Transfer 2 dough rounds to each baking sheet. Fold each edge over onto itself to form a thin lip. Refrigerate the dough rounds until chilled, about 1/2 hour.

3.In a food processor, pulse the fromage blanc until smooth. Add the flour, crème fraîche and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and process until smooth.

4.In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until the fat is rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.

5.Preheat the oven to 425°. Spread the fromage blanc mixture over the rounds to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Sprinkle with the bacon and onion. Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve.

Notes

Cutting bacon is easiest when the slices are chilled and stacked. Make sure to use a very sharp knife or kitchen shears to keep the slices neat. Note: This recipe yields four servings as main course, but as an appetizer in this menu, it makes plenty for eight.

The stone should be warmed in the oven at 425 for at least 30 minutes.  I sprinkle coarse corn meal on the stone before I lay down the pizza.