Stephencooks

Late Summer Pizza with Four Cheeses, Sweet Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Oregano

pizza dough for a 12 - 14" pizza
4 slices smoked bacon, cut in 1" pieces
25 cherry tomatoes
3 oz manchego cheese, shredded
3 oz fresh mozzarella, shredded
3 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, shredded
2 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled
12 oil-cured black olives, pitted, chopped
leaves from 3 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped
zest from one lemon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced thin, slices cut in half
olive oil

After the dough has completed the first rising, form it into a pizza shape and place on a peel scattered with cornmeal. Cover with a clean towel and allow to rise about half an hour in a warm place. Set the oven, with pizza stone in place, at 450º to preheat.

Meanwhile, prep the other ingredients. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, toss them in a tablespoon of olive oil and lay them out on a plate. Dry in a 300º oven for about 25 minutes (I use a toaster oven for this). They should be just starting to look a little crinkly when finished. Set aside. Cook the bacon until not quit crisp. Drain on paper towels. Mix the cheeses in a bowl.

When the dough is ready, spread it with a tablespoon of olive oil and the onion slices. Scatter on the garlic. Bake on the hot stone for about 9 minutes at 450º.

Slide the pizza out of the oven and spread on the cheese mixture. Then place the bacon pieces on the pizza in an 8-pointed star pattern and top each spoke with a handful of the tomatoes. Scatter on the chopped lemon zest and return the pizza to the oven. Lower the setting to 400º and bake another 8 - 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the edges of the crust are turning brown.

Remove from the oven, brush the edges with a little olive oil and scatter on the oregano and chopped olives. Slice in 8 slices.