Categories: Pizza/flatbread
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 8 ounces smoked blue cheese, plus extra for topping (my favorite brand is rogue creamery)
- fresh herbs for topping
- crust
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
Directions
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Place a pizza stone inside you oven on the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. You most definitely need a pizza peel for this – or at least something to easily transfer your dough to your stone.
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Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until some of the fat has rendered but the bacon is NOT crispy yet. In a bowl, whisk together the sugar and chili powder. Sprinkle it over the bacon and toss and stir. Cook until the bacon is just STARTING to get crispy – you do not want it very crispy at all or else it will burn in the oven. But you do want the fat released. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain any excess grease and slightly cool.
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In a large bowl, mix together the water, yeast and honey. Let that sit and get foamy, about 10ish minutes. During that time, measure out and prep your ingredients – because this dough doesn’t have to rise! You want everything measured out and ready to top so you can quickly transfer the dough to the stone.
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After 10 minutes, stir the flour and salt into the yeast mixture. Stir until the dough comes together, first using a spoon and then using your hands. If the dough is REALLY sticky, use a little more flour until it becomes silky, adding 1 tablespoon of flour as needed. Flour your workspace and knead the dough a few times with your hands. Let it sit for a few minutes while you finish making the bacon or prep the pizza dough.
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Roll the dough out as thin as you possible can – at least 10 inches. If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest another 5 or 10 minutes. Flour your pizza peel VERY well. To transfer the thin dough to your peel, I gently and quickly fold the dough in half and then in half again, pick it up, and unfold it on the floured peel. Quickly add your toppings. Brush the dough with olive oil. Sprinkle the fontina cheese on the dough as a “base” cheese to help everything stick. Add on the bacon and the blue cheese crumbles (I use about all but 1 ounce, save it for topping) evenly.
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Open the oven and gently slip the pizza from the peel to the stone – I use a spatula to help if needed. Bake the pizza for 10 to 15 minutes – just keep and eye on it since the oven is so hot and stones can differ. It will be done when the crust is crispy and cheese is golden.
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Remove the pizza by sliding it back onto the pizza peel with the help of a spatula. Let the pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing. Top with the extra blue cheese and fresh herbs. Serve immediately!