Caramelized onions, Scrambled Eggs, Italian Sausage, Pepperoni and sharp cheddar cheese on a fluffy garlic bread!!!
Background;
Many years ago Breakfast Pizza was quite a novelty. I still remember my first one – some folks at work heard that a local pizza shop was making them and they delivered. So one Friday morning we chipped in and ordered one. Quite frankly once I got the concept I thought I could do better, so I set out to make a better Breakfast Pizza!
This recipe makes a big pizza – about 14” x 1 ½ to 2”. When I’m in the mood for breakfast pizza I’ll make it the night before, let it cool, wrap it completely in plastic wrap, put it back in the pan and into the fridge. It travels well if, when you make it, you spread the cheese to the edge. When the cheese melts it keeps everything else in place. At work I’ll find a piece of cardboard, place the pizza on it, open the plastic wrap, slice the pizza into pieces (grab my piece!) then cover with plastic wrap. My coworkers can then microwave their piece individually – about 35 seconds.
Recipe
My early breakfast pizzas were made with the dough from a bread machine, the machine had a “Manual” setting which mixed the dough then stopped, and didn’t bake it into bread. I now make the dough with my Kitchenaid. A dough recipe is included at the end of this recipe.
Oil a deep dish pizza pan (I use a 14” diameter x 1 ½ high pan ) with vegetable oil (not olive oil) place dough in pan - flip dough over – stretch it to the edge of the pan, and cover with plastic wrap (doesn't need to completely cover pan) - I stretch the plastic wrap tight –so I can watch it rise towards the plastic wrap - place in warm draft free place for about an hour.
While the dough is rising:
Caramelize a large onion – cooking down an onion brings out the natural sugar in it. Slice the onion into small slices, place in a heated well oiled skillet, as the onion cooks down, turn down the heat every so often until they are limp and browned, you can “cheat” a little by sprinkling some sugar over the onion half way through the cooking process.
Brown 1/3 to 1/2 lb of sausage, I’ll cut a 1 lb breakfast sausage into 3rds or a 12oz chub in half and freeze the remainder. Brown until dry & crumbly.
Scramble 3 eggs, I like to season with salt & pepper – scramble until dry and crumbled.
Grate 1.5 cups cheese. Almost any cheese will do – I prefer a sharp cheddar.
I put the onion, egg, sausage, sometimes mushrooms, pepperoni and whatever else I'm in the mood for, on the dough. I top with cheese, making sure it’s spread enough to secure all the toppings when it melts. Bake at 400 for about 15min or until the cheese is melted and crust is slightly browned. It’s a good idea to rotate the pizza half way through.
Dough Recipe
Here is the Kitchenaid recipe for bread:
Using the Dough Hook.
This makes a big Pizza - I use a 14 1/2" pan
1/2 Cup Low-fat milk
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 pkg Dry Yeast or 4 1/2 teaspoons of jar yeast
1 1/2 Cups warm water 105-115 degrees
5-6 cups bread flower or all purpose flower
Put milk, sugar, salt & butter in small saucepan - heat on low till butter melts & sugar dissolves - cool to lukewarm.
Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixing bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 cups flower - mix on speed 2, when mixed add remaining flower 1/2 cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl - continue to kneed for another 3 minutes (now is a good time to add spices- while kneading)
If I REALLY wanna kick it up - I add about a tablespoon (or two) of Garlic Powder, Italian Seasoning, Caraway, Fennel & Dill seeds - It's pretty spicy for "White-Bread" people.
