Mushrooms pizza has always been one of my favorite pizzas. And thank heavens that no longer has to mean water-logged canned mushrooms {{no-likey}}. Most major supermarkets now have at least a small variety of mushrooms available. You really don’t need that many, but promise you’ll pick up some more exotic varieties before you reach for the box of white button mushrooms… at least get the creminis! I used a combination of oysters, cepes, shiitakes (my favorite), creminis, and even reconstitutes some dried morels. Just make sure that your mushroom a very dry when you put them on the pizza. The sauce is quick and easy — just sauteed leeks, cognac, tomato sauce and some fresh herbs.
Wild Mushroom Pizza with Leeks and Gorogonzola
Author: Jeff Parker
Recipe type: Indirect with pizza stone
Serves: 2 to 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small leek, white part only cleaned well and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cognac
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound pizza dough
- Cornmeal
- 6 ounces grated Fontina cheese
- 4 ounces good-quality Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
- 12 ounces mixed wild mushrooms, hard stems removed and sliced
- Fresh thyme leaves for garnish
- A couple pinches of good-quality flaked sea salt - I prefer Maldon
Instructions
- Crank up grill for high indirect heat. Set pizza stone so it's not over the flame. and heat grill to at least 450°F to 500°F. It will take some time to get it that hot, so don't get too far ahead of yourself. (You can also cook this directly on a well-oiled grate).
- While the grill is heating, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a medium skillet heating over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and saute until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in cognac and let bubble until it's almost evaporated. Add in tomato sauce, parsley and thyme. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.
- Have all your remaining pizza ingredients prepped. Roll out pizza dough to desired thickness. Scatter a big pinch of cornmeal over the stone and and lay down your crust. Spoon on tomato-cognac sauce, then top with cheeses and finally the mushrooms. Close the grill cover and let it do it's pizza thang for about 6 to 12 minutes (depending how hot your grill is) or until crust is golden brown and blistered and the cheese is bubbling with goodness. Remove from grill and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and sea salt. Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Cheers and Happy Grilling!
Jeff
