Caramelized Onion, Bacon & Basil Herbed Pizza Bites (Fancy Pants style)

i don't know about you but i wouldn't be the person i am today if it weren't for the culinary grandeur of the BAGEL BITE. every day after elementary school before my mom got home, after a lengthy mid-summer swim in the neighbors pool, sleepovers, birthday parties, late nights after a few too many - wait that was college. anyways you get the point; my brother and i ate more bagel bites than an other food group. one rule though: never ever waste you're time preparing these in the oven. don't be so ridiculous! it is a must that you toss these babies in an equally unnatural object and nuke them until unrecognizable. and if you are really experienced you would know that the best is when you cook them a minute or two too long and they first turn molten then, like lava, turn to stone. just to sit in front of the tv with an episode of "ducktails" playing munching down on that pile of cheesy rubber, scorching my mouth was like heaven. i kid you not. and so you can only image my delight when i discovered these lost treasures of my childhood had found a place on josh's mom's christmas party buffet. what?! amazing.

but before i give you the recipe i have to share with you the history of bagel bites.

Evidently there is a very popular kinda of foodstuff called "pizza bagel" - half a bagel topped with tomato sauce, cheese and the likes- which seems to have gotten its start somewhere around the turn of the 20th century in non other than NYC itself. that's right this treat was not originate in hairnet adorned kraft factory. when imigration was at its peak here in NYC brooklyn become the home to many jewish and italian folks. as things happen cuisines start to merge (kinda like jambalaya - but thats a different blog) and as i am sure you have peiced together by now: the jewish bagel started to get an italian edge. and thus the pizza bagel was born. now a days the term is mostly used to refer to someone who has both a jewish and italian background. now as for the mini versions - that was invented by a guy in florida and sold to Hienze a while back and popularized by 1980's working moms - like mine and probably yours.

so back to me: new years eve rolls around and i make the decision that mini pizzas would be perfect - unbeknown to me i would reincarnate bagel bites. but really really fancy, like i do.

need-less to say these were a big hit. of-course if you just want dinner, don't cut out the dough rounds and just divide. this will make 2 large pizzas.

CARAMELIZED ONION, BACON & BASIL HERBED PIZZA BITES

Dough:

3c AP flour

2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp active dry yeast

2 tbs olive oil

1 tbs fresh thyme

1c warm water

*sift together the flour, salt and yeast

*stir in oil, thyme and water

*once a ball starts to form turn out onto floured work surface and knead to smooth and elastic - do not over knead and add water a tsp at a time if the dough seems tough and dry

*oil a bowl and place dough in, oiling the surfaces of the dough as well

*cover with plastic wrap and place in frig over night (or about 6-8 hours)

*take the dough out of frig and let come to room temp (about 20 minutes)

*preheat oven to 500F, dust your pan with cornmeal, or line with parchment

*begin to stretch out the dough with your hands then finish rolling out with a floured pin to your desired thickness (for these guys i made it about 1/8" - 1/4" - they will puff up in oven)

*using a 2" biscuit cutter cut out rounds, place on prepared pan and top (see my toppings below)

*cook for 10-12 minutes until cheese is bubbly and has a golden coloring

Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Basil Topping:

5-6 strips nitrate free bacon

2 onions, sliced into half rounds

1 tbs butter

1 tbs dark brown sugar

pinch salt

2c tomato basil soup (homemade)

1 1/2 tsp corn starch

1/2 tsp water

4 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4" cubes

*cook bacon as normal, drain on paper towels and once cooled crumble - set aside

*over medium high flame heat soup

*in a small bowl make a paste with cornstarch and water

*add paste to heated soup, stirring constantly to avoid clumps

*continue to heat soup until it thickens (about 3 minutes)

*turn off heat and set aside

*melt butter over medium heat in skillet

*add onions and pinch of salt

*saute onions to almost translucent

*stir in brown sugar, continue to stir until the sugar is dissolved and coating the onions

*cook a minute or two more until onions are completely cooked

*take off heat and set aside

** assemble pizza: spoon a tbs of thickened soup over top of cut out dough rounds, add a few onions, top with 3-4 mozzarella cubes the sprinkle with a few bacon crumbles. cook as above mentioned***

Arugula PIzza

i love greens on pizza, so i ordered my share on freshdirect (online grocer in NYC) and planned out pizza pie night. i was to have a nice tomato basil basil with a sprinkle of fresh mozzarella then once out the oven slather on the fresh arugula - keeping all nutrients in tact. josh was to have his regular "josh and candice original" consisting of tomato basil base, sweet caramelized onions and crispy bacon (can you see a contrast there?) anyways, when i actually took a close look at the arugula freshdirect sent me i knew i couldn't eat that raw. it was for lack of energy to find a better word - crap. all yellow and looked like there was permanent dirt infused into the leaves. yum right?

unlike some people i don't mind sautéed greens - actually i adore them. so i cleaned out the bacon grease from the pan and cooked the arugula off a bit on low, sprinkled with salt and added a few fresh tomato slices to the mix. lovely! the crust is my (now) usual formula of whole wheat and cornmeal as written out here.

josh gobbled his up as well. you can't go wrong with bacon, cheese and men.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Whole Wheat Pizza

last weekend i went to a friends apt that i hadn't seen in a while. actually its the friend that involuntarily put josh and i together (long semi-interesting story). anyways the night turned out to be a total bachelor dude party, with poker and the whole nine.

back track with me a bit. earlier that day when my friend called me up he mentioned that we would probably grab some pizza and a few beers etc etc. needless to say - i had my heart set on the pizza. by the time i arrived everyone had already partaken in eating and beer to a extent that no one agreed with my pleas to order pizza from the place literally two flights of stairs away from us. ugh! guys right? such bad hosts. so i was aggressive enough and after a few hours of hassling everyone with the occasional threat of the place closing and leaving us all to starve in that NYC luxury apartment i was joined in placing an order. i chose the pizzas that i was denied last time when my friend somehow still thought i still didn't t eat meat - huh. i should stay in touch more i guess. it was a thin crust with pineapple, bacon and basil. amazing. i scarfed it down and then trekked back to my little apt. to do something other than watch basketball and mediocre poker playing.

for a week now i have been obsessed with pizza. i really don't make it enough. its so easy, versatile and cheap there are no excuses not to. and so i did just that today. you have to use a whole wheat crust - its just simply better. better people, better - that means just use whole wheat. I added in cornmeal into the dough this time and it was perfect; adding just enough crunch at the ends.

WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH

1 1/2c whole wheat flour

1/2c cornmeal

1c AP flour

2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp active dry yeast

2 tbs olive oil

1c warm water

*in a large bowl sift together the flours, cornmeal & salt

*stir in the water and oil w/ a wooden spoon. stir until it becomes to difficult.

*turn out dough onto floured surface and knead with your hands until smooth and elastic

*grease a large bowl, put the dough into the bowl and turn to coat w/ oil

*cover with plastic and let rise to double 1-2 hours or put in frig and let rise for a bout 6-8 hours

*preheat oven to 525F, sprinkle your pan w/ cornmeal or flour

*divide dough into 2 (for larger) or 4(for smaller) balls, let rest covered for a few minutes.

*w/ your hands press and/or pull the dough into a round, again let set cover a few minutes

*roll out the rounds to your desired thickness (i always go for a thin as possible)

*place on prepared pan and lightly spray or brush w/ olive oil

*top w/ your desired foodstuff and cook for 10-15 minutes until everything is golden and to your liking. see below for what i used and was more than delighted with.

ROASTED CHERRY TOMATO & CILIEGINA MOZZARELLA

1c cherry tomatoes, cut in half

4 oz fresh ciliegina mozzarella, each piece cut into thirds

1c homemade** roasted tomato basil soup

2 tsp dried basil

**i make a lot of this soup in the summer and freeze, if you don't happen to have any of your own homemade (which i understand is highly unlikely) just use good quality store bought.

*heat soup to a medium simmer in a small sauce pan

*in a small cup (shot glass works well) combine 1 tsp cornstarch w/ 2 tsp water

*add mixture to the simmering soup stirring to combine well, let simmer a few minutes then take off heat

*spread as much sauce as you prefer on to prepared dough

*continue with the remaining ingredients - its a pizza, don't freak out about it!