Alsatian Pizza Recipe – NBC Boston

INGREDIENTS:

1 frozen puff pastry, thawed (Pepperidge Farm or Trader Joe’s are both great)

8 oz good Swiss cheese, Gruyere, or Comte are both delicious

⅓ cup creme fraiche, you can also use sour cream or Fromage blanc

Pinch of nutmeg and red pepper

½ cup thinly sliced onions or “Onion Jam” (recipe to follow)

1 cup spiral-cut ham, thinly sliced into “matchstick” size strips

1 egg, whisked

1 ½ cups fresh arugula or watercress

PREPARATION:

Preheat your oven to 400*.

Gently roll out your puff pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.  It should be approximately 9” x 13” and ⅛” thin.

Optional: Slice about 10 strips of Swiss cheese to fold under all sides of the crust edge, gently pressing the puff pastry down on itself over the cheese. 

Slather the dough with creme fraiche and add a dusting of nutmeg and red pepper.

Evenly spread the thinly sliced onion, followed by shredded Swiss cheese, ham, and more Swiss cheese.

Baste the crust edges with the whisked egg.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Out of the oven, top with fresh arugula or watercress, slice, and serve hot.

ONION JAM:

Ingredients:

• 8 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced (I used a mix of red and yellow using up what I had on hand)
• 1 TBS butter
• 1 TBS olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preparation:

Over medium/medium-low heat, melt butter and olive oil and sautee onions for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.  Continue to cook the onions for an additional 20-30 minutes until they are a rich caramelized color.  In the last 5 minutes, add brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Store in an airtight container for a week or two in your refrigerator. 

Watch the entire episode of The Chef’s Pantry below to see Anna Rossi and Chef Lambert Given’s collaboration.

This episode of The Chef’s Pantry is made in partnership with All Inclusive Boston.