I realize this is maybe the seventeenth time I’ve written about this pizza in various ways throughout the years, but it’s such an important recipe in my rotation that I felt it was time it had its own dedicated page. Especially since my version of it (with cheddar and caramelized onions) seems to have strayed so far from the traditional pizza con patate that Jim Lahey made famous in America a decade ago. I keep waiting to tire of it, but I never do. Here’s exactly how to make it.
Potato-Cheddar Pizza
This is just as good at room temperature as it is hot, which makes it ideal for make-ahead entertaining. Also, the photos are missing the onions, but please don’t omit them — they are crucial!
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 large white onion, sliced
dash balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 16-ounce ball pizza dough (or make your own), room temperature
4 medium yellow or red potatoes, unpeeled, thinly sliced
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, the best you can find (Cabot is my favorite supermarket brand)
dash garlic salt
fresh thyme
Preheat oven to 450°F. Add oil and onion slices to a medium skillet set over medium-low heat. Cook for as long as you can, hopefully at least 25-30 minutes, allowing them to caramelize. If you want to cheat or don’t have time, you can stir in a little balsamic after 10 minutes.
Add potato slices to a pot of salted water and bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes and drain. They do not have to be cooked through.
Meanwhile, lightly grease a standard baking sheet and drop ball of dough in the middle, pressing and stretching it out with your fingers so it reaches the edges. Sprinkle cheese on top, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Lay potatoes on top, overlapping slightly and sprinkle with the leaves from two or three sprigs of thyme. In a small bowl, mix about a tablespoon of olive oil with a dash of garlic salt and brush this mixture around the perimeter of the pizza. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and crust looks golden brown.
Remove from oven and top with onions and more fresh thyme leaves.
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Would love your recommends for Chardonnay!
And that’s tonight’s dinner plan sorted! Thank you. (Autumn has arrived here in Auckland, this will be perfect.)