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Pizza

Mushroom + Caramelized Onion Pizza

There a two interesting things about this pizza: first, it’s made with a Parmesan Bechamel sauce, as opposed to a traditional tomato sauce; and second, it’s topped with maple syrup! OK, after you get over the “WTF” moment, you realize that this is actually an incredible pizza recipe. At first, even I was skeptical about how good this could taste, but after the first bite I was hooked!
The flavour profile of this pizza is incredible: the crispiness of the crust, the saltiness of the bacon, the savory nature of the mushrooms and brie, and the sweetness of the onion and maple syrup combine magically to create a multi-sensory taste experience. This one will absolutely blow you away!
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Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 3
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Canadian
Calories: 2363
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pizza Crust
  • 1 tbsp yeast
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 5 cops 00 flour
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp olive oil
Bechamel Sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Toppings
  • 1 lb bacon
  • 2 1/2 cups Shitake mushrooms sliced
  • 2 1/2 cups Portobello mushrooms sliced
  • 600 g Brie cheese sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 1 white onion sliced
  • 1 Spanish onion sliced
  • 2 shallots sliced
  • 2 tbsp butter divided
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt divided
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup for drizzle
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Equipment

  • stand mixer
  • large frying pan
  • large baking sheet
  • parchment paper
  • medium sauce pan
  • large spoon
  • grater
  • round pizza pans
  • spatula
  • tea towel damp
  • measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

Mise en Place
  1. Assemble equipment. Peel and chop shallots and white onion, slice mushrooms, grate cheese, prepare garlic, slice Brie, measure and separate all ingredients.
Make Pizza Dough
  1. Add yeast and warm water to the bowl of a stand mixer and allow to bloom for 5 minutes.
  2. Add half of the flour to the yeast and mix on medium until well combined, scraping sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary. Once combined, reduce the mixer speed slightly (to prevent the flour from flying everywhere) and add the remaining flour and salt. Continue mixing and increase speed gradually until a cohesive ball of dough is formed. Cover the mixing bowl with a damp cloth and let rise for a minimum of 20 minutes.
  3. Add olive oil to the bowl to help remove the dough. Break dough into up to three segments and spread out on a greased pizza or baking pan.
Prepare Parmesan Bechamel
  1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Remove from heat and whisk in corn starch to form a roux. Return to heat and add milk, whisking frequently until thickened. Add freshly grated Parmesan and whisk until combined. Set aside.
Prepare Toppings
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Place bacon on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on how crispy you like it) until fully cooked, flipping half way through. Remove excess grease and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.
  3. Add the mushrooms to a dry frying pan, sprinkle with 1 tsp salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid sticking. Add 1 tbsp of butter once the mushrooms have released their water and cook until slightly crispy. Set aside.
  4. Add olive oil, the remaining 1 tbsp of butter, and onions to the same pan. Sprinkle with remaining salt, pepper, and sugar, reduce heat to med-low, and continue to saute for approximately 20-30 until nicely caramelized. Stir regularly to avoid burning. Set aside.
Bring it Together
  1. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
  2. Using a large spoon, spread equal portions of bechamel on the pizza dough and add toppings starting with the onions and finishing with brie.
  3. Bake the assembled pizzas for 18 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Drizzle the pizza with maple syrup, add freshly grated Parmesan, and serve.

Notes

  • Always avoid exposing mushrooms to water (even washing) or other liquids (e.g. oil) as they will quickly soak up any liquid they come in contact with, thereby reducing flavour and making them rubbery.
  • This recipe will make up to 3 thin crust or 2 thick crust pizzas. Adjust your ingredients accordingly if more or fewer servings are required.
  • If possible, use fresh ingredients (e.g. freshly grated Parmesan) and real maple syrup.
  • Use a spoon to remove the dark black "gills" from the underside of a portobello mushroom. They are generally not flavourful, could contain bits of dirt or sand, and can discolour a dish.