Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Spinach Pizza

I’ve taken a few days off from blogging to spend some much-needed time with my family. Both my husband and I have been going non-stop lately and this break was needed! I haven’t done much cooking either, so I’ll be making up with it over the next couple of weeks with lots of new recipes.

I made this pizza a couple of weeks ago and it was a hit….despite it being a little more cooked than I would have preferred. I had to leave it in the oven for my husband to watch while I ran to an appointment and he left it in a little too long. It was still delicious! I love the flavors of the caramelized onion, bacon and spinach…all on a crispy crust.

1 lb pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)
7 oz bacon, cooked and chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
8 oz fresh baby spinach
1 large red onion, sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp flour
3/4 cup milk
6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 oz Parmesan cheese, finely shredded

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and saute until just wilted. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to let some of the water drain out. Once cool, squeeze spinach to remove the majority of the water. Set aside.

In the same skillet, add in another tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add in the sliced onions, season with salt and saute for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the teaspoon of sugar over the onion and cook until they start to caramelize. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed to prevent them from drying and burning. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and allow to cook for another minute. Remove from heat.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and garlic, stir continuously for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, season with salt and pepper and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir consistently until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Spread the sauce over the prepared pizza dough. Top with half the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Layer the spinach, onions and bacon over the top. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until the cheese has melted and crust is golden brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Source: Cooking Classy