copyright ©1999-2004
DigsMagazine.com.

puff pastry "pizza"
This recipe takes your standard pizza toppings and pairs them with a delicate, flaky, buttery pastry crust. You can caramelize the onions the day before to cut down on the prep time.

1 medium onion
splash balsamic vinegar
sugar and salt
1 unbaked sheet of pre-made frozen puff pastry, thawed at room temp for 30 min
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup smooth tomato sauce
¾ cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp. or so of shredded fresh basil
1/3 cup sliced black olives
parmesan cheese

serves 6-8 as an appetizer

Caramelizing the onions
Slice the onion into very thin rings. Heat up a Tbsp. or so of olive oil in a skillet, and throw in the onion. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions begin to turn golden; turn down the heat to medium-low, and cook slowly, stirring every once in awhile (not too often, maybe 5 minutes or so -- you want the onions to brown), for about 30 minutes. The onions will be brown and a bit sticky; add a splash of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle of sugar, and cook for another few minutes (until the onion loses the acidy-vinegar flavor). Add a few dashes of salt to taste, remove from heat and set aside.

Making the "pizza"
1 Preheat the oven to 400F and thaw the puff pastry for 20-30 minutes at room temp.
2 Roll out the sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface, until you have a 10" x 15" or so-sized rectangle. Trim off a ½" strip around each side, and reserve. Place the rectangle on a big baking sheet (if you have the sort of cookie sheet that doesn't have raised edges, use that, as it'll allow you to slide off the finished pastry onto a more attractive serving vessel. Otherwise use the nicest-looking baking sheet you have -- the finished pastry will be too delicate to lift off of a raised-edge sheet.).
3 Brush the edges of the rectangle lightly with beaten egg, then place the strips on top -- this'll give you a good raised border to enclose your toppings. Prick the base (not the raised part) of the pastry all over with the tines of a fork, then brush both the base and the top of the raised edges with egg wash. Try not to let the egg drip down the sides, as that'll cause the layers of the pastry to stick together, and you won't get as flaky a finished product. Pop the dough into the fridge for about 20 minutes and let it chill.
4 Bake the pastry for 10-12 minutes, until you have a nice puffy, lightly golden sheet.
5 Smooth on a thin but even layer of tomato sauce -- don't go too heavy on this, as the pastry crust is fairly delicate. Sprinkle some mozzarella, add the onions, olives and basil, and finish with a little more mozzarella and parmesan. Pop it back in the oven for about 7 minutes, just enough to melt the cheese. Cut into small squares and serve.

keep on skedaddling

---------------------------> lounge . nourish . host . laze . home .