Servings: 4
Ingredients:
Pizza Dough
1 cup water
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
1 package instant dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Toppings
2 cups chopped smoked bacon
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded white Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 cup loosely packed Italian parsley leaves
Cooking Directions:
For the dough, heat the water to 120°F to 130°F. Mix 1 cup of flour with the cornmeal, sage, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add the water and oil. Mix until almost smooth. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a firm dough. Knead 5 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down; allow to rise one more time.
For the toppings and assembly, cook the bacon until done, but not crisp. Drain on a paper towel.
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Divide the dough in half; roll or press each half into a 9-inch circle. Place on a pizza pan or large baking sheet. Top each with cheese, bacon, and walnuts. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the dough is lightly browned. Sprinkle with parsley.
Variations: Use prepared focaccia for the crust. For the cheese, choose a blend of four varieties such as cheddar, gorgonzola, asiago and fontina. Substitute cooked, chopped duck for the bacon. To make a vegetarian version, substitute appleas or pears for the bacon and use Havarti and Cheddar cheeses.