There are a few foods where I am always searching for the recipe. The one recipe that will make me stop searching for something better and always rely on that recipe. The best whole wheat bread, the best chocolate chip cookie, the best from scratch white cake – and pizza crust. With most recipes, I have ones that I like, maybe even love. But pizza crust – it’s giving me a hard time!
I had some leftover blue cheese that needed to be used, and I kept thinking of the bacon/blue cheese combination. Then I thought to myself – I bet it would be good on pizza! I’m glad I decided to try it out, because it really is a winning combination for pizza (if you like blue cheese, that is!) I didn’t want to use a regular pizza sauce, so I made a basic bechamel, topped with bacon and blue cheese. Super simple and super delicious, but once again, the crust let me down. It was ok and edible, but just not exactly what I was looking for. I guess that just means more pizza in my future!
Do you have a favorite pizza crust recipe?
Blue Cheese and Bacon Pizza
serves 3
prep time: 15 minutes
wait time: 1 hour 30 minutes
cook time: 15-20 minutes
1/2 recipe pizza dough (recipe follows)
Bechemel sauce (recipe follows)
6-8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
crumbled blue cheese
Make pizza dough.
Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and preheat oven to 500F.
Stretch 1 pound of the dough on a floured pizza peel, large cutting board or parchment paper.
Top pizza with your desired amount of bechamel sauce, bacon and blue cheese. Slide the pizza onto the stone or baking sheet and bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
Pizza Dough
from Food Network Magazine March 2010
3 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/3 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
Whisk flour and salt together. Make a well and add the water, sugar and yeast. When foamy, mix the olive oil in; knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Brush the dough with olive oil and put in a bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Divide into two 1-pound balls. Use 1 pound per pizza.
Basic Bechamel Sauce
1/8 cup butter
1/8 cup flour
1 cup milk
salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook for a minute or two. Whisk in milk, making sure you have no lumps. Season with salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Cook until slightly thickened.
This will be in my oven in less than 2 hours after I return to my Kitchen next. Way to go, sounds delicious, The Captain will send you roses for this one. He lives for Bleu Cheese, the stinkier the better. I have seen some ugly blue cheese in my crisper drawer!
Great pizza! I love mixing up toppings and flavors. Here is my favorite whole wheat crust recipe:
http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/recipe-for-whole-wheat-veggie-pizza/
It is easy and doesn't have to rise for very long!
I really do love white pizzas! And what a super combo.. of course bacon on anything helps a lot.
But I am a blue cheese lover so this is perfect.
That pizza looks sooo good.I am going to have to try it soon.I love reading your recipes.So many great Ideas.I usuaily end up coming here when I don't know what to make for dinner. About you pizza crust, I am never happy with mine either.I like my crust crispy and mine just goes limp.
Pizza crust is a hard one! I finally found one that i LOVE and its pretty similar to this one:) I love the idea of this pizza!
What a great combination!!WOW looks incredible!!
This looks amazing!! I too have been on the quest for a great pizza crust. The closest I have come, I got from Ourbestbites.com. The key I have found is once you get the dough on the stone, drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle a little garlic salt over it and bake it for a few minutes, then take it out and put your toppings on and continue baking. It gives the crust a little extra crunch and a little more flavor.
If you ever find that perfect recipe for crust, please do share! I've got the same problem!
Love the combo of blue cheese & bacon… I'd fight you for the last piece, I'm sure!
This is our favorite crust recipe!
http://lindstewfoodies.blogspot.com/2009/12/pepper-jack-chicken-pizza.html
this is my fav w/ a little fig jam. i've made this so much and i still love it. so good.
A scrumptious pizza! Great choice of toppings! This weekend, we'll be having pizza (yippee!)…
Cheers,
Rosa
My favorite crust is the Giada crust from the food network website. My link is: http://joanne-eatswellwithothers.blogspot.com/2009/10/adventures-with-yeast-pizza-with.html.
I love the sound of the bacon and blue cheese! I bet it would be great with some sweet potato on it as well.
Our favorite pizza crust recipe comes from Wisebread, it works great on the grill too. http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com/2008/01/homemade-pizza.html
I love the blue cheese and bacon combo too!
I found a pretty good thin crust pizza recipe over on recipezaar.
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Pizza-Dough-for-Thin-Crust-Pizza-70165
You may have tried it before. It is really easy to work with and pretty tasty too. I just bought Perfect Pizza Flour Blend and Pizza Dough Flavor from King Arthur. I'm going to try it out soon. Others have sworn by using both of those products.
oh my gosh, this might be my favorite pizza, and i haven't even tried it yet. bacon and blue cheese?! YUMMY!