This is a wonderful way to experience onions and it is reminiscent of the Alsatian specialty, flammekeuche. Combined with the cream, the onions (Rose de Roscoff, if you can find them) create a sweet, succulent foil for the bacon and the pizza dough. I like to serve this as a first course, with a lovely Gewurtztraminer.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 first-course servings

　　

For the dough:

1 cup lukewarm water

　　1 teaspoon bread yeast

　　2 to 2-1/2 cups flour

　　1/2 teaspoon sea salt

　　

For the topping:

12 ounces white onions, peeled and sliced paper thin

　　1/2 cup crème fraîche

　　6 ounces slab bacon, rind removed, cut in matchsticks

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

1. To make the dough, pour the water into a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix in the yeast and 1 cup of the flour, mix, then let sit at room temperature until the mixture begins to bubble, about 30 minutes. Add the salt, stir, then add an additional cup of flour. The dough should be quite soft. Cover and let sit at room temperature until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours.

　　

Step 2

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

　　

Step 3

3. Divide the dough in half. Heavily flour a work surface, and roll out the dough to a 15 x 11-inch rectangle (the dough should be paper-thin except at the edges, where it will be slightly thicker.) Carefully transfer the dough to a well-floured baking sheet.

　　

Step 4

4. Mix the onions and the cream together in a medium-sized bowl and spread half on the dough. Sprinkle half the bacon evenly over the onions and cream. Repeat with the remaining dough, onions, cream, and bacon.

　　

Step 5

5. Bake the pizzas in the center of the preheated oven until the crust is golden and the onions soften and begin to turn golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. If you can't fit both pizzas on the center rack of the oven, switch them halfway through baking.

　　

Step 6

6. Remove the pizzas from the oven and slip them onto a work surface. Season with freshly ground black pepper, then cut into serving pieces.