Caramelized Onion, Blue Cheese and Walnut Pizza

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I used to serve small squares of this pizza as a cocktail appetizer. People loved the combination of caramelized onions with blue cheese and toasted or candied walnuts. We had it so often that I grew tired of it and that usually marks the death knell for my recipes. Once retired, they're rarely used again. This one has been pardoned and given a second life because of Meatless Mondays. As you can see, I've resurrected the recipe and we had the pizza for supper tonight. The recipe makes a nice pie and if you're looking to serve something a bit outside the box, you might enjoy this one. The pizza can be made with a standard dough or served on a flatbread or tortilla. While this is simple to make, it is not speedy and you'll need time to caramelize the onions. The mantra here remains the same. The onions must be watched as they cook. Once they start to caramelize they move from brown to black in the wink of an eye. If they char or burn you'll have to start again. This is a highly flavored pie and to enjoy it, you have to love all three of its major ingredients. If the trio appeals to you, you'll love this pizza. Here's the recipe.

Caramelized Onion, Blue Cheese and Walnut Pizza - Meatless Monday...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds yellow onions, very thinly sliced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 pound pizza dough
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:
1) Heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter in a large heavy skillet set over medium heat. Add onions and salt, stirring frequently until onions begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Add sugar and cook, stirring frequently until onions are well-browned, about 15 minutes longer. Do not allow onions to burn. Season with pepper to taste.
2) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray bottom of a round or rectangular pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Press dough into pan, building up sides slightly. Brush crust with reserved 1 tablespoon oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread onions on crust. Top with walnuts and blue cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese starts to soften and brown, about 10 minutes. Serve hot. Yield: 4 -6 servings.

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