Penny provided me with a fool-proof recipe for pizza dough. She topped it with caramelized onions, blue cheese and olives.
Combine:
3 and 1/2 cups of I bleached bread flour
2 tsp granulated sugar or honey
1 and 1/2 tsp table salt (or 2 and 1/2 tsp kosher salt)
1 and 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 and 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Combine all thus in a medium bowl
Add 11 oz cool water
Mix until everything is combines and the dough forms a ball. Turn it out on a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 2-3 minutes. You may need to add a little flour or even a few drops of water to get a nice supple ball of dough. Then place it in a bowl which has been coated with another tablespoon or so of olive oil. The bowl should be large enough that the dough can double in size. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator. I usually make it the night before and let it rise 12-24 hours in the fridge. This seems to make the best dough. Or you can make it in the morning and let it rise (covered) on the counter. It will be ready 3-7 hours later.
Then divide the dough into 2 equal portions and roll out the dough into 2 pizza crusts. You can let it rise again for about an hour for a fluffier crust, but I usually go ahead and make the pizzas right away. They will rise some in the oven. Several tricks for a crispy crust.
Use a pizza screen
A nice hot oven (450 to500)
Not too much sauce or other sources of moisture (dry roasted pepper, olives, etc on a paper towel)
If you really want it crispy brush a little olive oil on the crust and partially bake it before topping it and doing the final
baking.
It only takes 7-10 minutes to bake.
Now you know everything I know about pizza crust. :-)
For the onion tart:
Finely chop 2 pounds if onions
Prepare sheen bouquet containing 4 sprigs of parsley, 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, and 1/2 bay leaf)
Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper to the onions
Cook the onions with the herb bouquet in 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on low heat for about an hour.
The onions will be reduced and caramelized.
Remove the herb bouquet.
Prepare one if the pizza crusts (you may be able to make 2 depending on how much onion you end up with and how thick you want the filling)
Brush the pizza crust with olive oil and spread the onion mixture over it
Chop up 16 kalamata olives ( you can leave some whole or halved for decoration)
Crumble up 1/8 to 1/4 cp blue cheese (such as Gorgonzola mountain)
Distribute the cheese and olives over the onions.
Cook at 450-500 degrees on a pizza tray or screen for about 9-12 minutes.