Ciabatta Loaf Pizza with spicy caramelized onion sauce, chard and fennel & smoked mozzarella
1 ciabatta loaf
1 7 oz ball of fresh smoked mozzarella, sliced
1/2 cup cider
1/2 - 1 cup water
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 small spicy pepper, finely chopped*
2 heaping tsp worth of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 c sliced fennel bulb
1 cup swiss chard (de-stem the bottom, score, roll then chop the leaves)
4 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper
Set oven to 400
In one frying pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add 1 tsp garlic and all fennel. Stir and cook till limp. Add swiss chard and 2 tbs water. Stir. Cook till just bottom starts to almost brown, add 2 tbs more water, reduce heat, cover and steam for about ten more minutes until flaovrs are married, chard is limp and well cooked. Set aside.
On medium high heat add olive oil, add garlic, onion, & peppers. Stir and cook for about five minutes, just till the onions soften and sizzle. Add balsamic, 1/4 cup cider and about a tbs of water. Stir, bring to boil, then set to low and cover. About ten minutes, stir. Onions should be very soft and melty. Add more cider and water stir and cover another 5 or so minutes. When it's done it should have a light brown color and the onions should taste smooth like in onion soup.
Cut ciabatta in half across the flat side so it can be nice crispy pizza crust. Spoon onion sauce on first. Add smoked mozzarella slices then fennel and chard. Cook on cookie sheet for about 30 minutes, until side of bread are crispy.
*You don't have to do the spicy pepper part, but I love the kick that it adds to all the mellow flavors of everything else.
1 ciabatta loaf
1 7 oz ball of fresh smoked mozzarella, sliced
1/2 cup cider
1/2 - 1 cup water
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 small spicy pepper, finely chopped*
2 heaping tsp worth of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 c sliced fennel bulb
1 cup swiss chard (de-stem the bottom, score, roll then chop the leaves)
4 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper
Set oven to 400
In one frying pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add 1 tsp garlic and all fennel. Stir and cook till limp. Add swiss chard and 2 tbs water. Stir. Cook till just bottom starts to almost brown, add 2 tbs more water, reduce heat, cover and steam for about ten more minutes until flaovrs are married, chard is limp and well cooked. Set aside.
On medium high heat add olive oil, add garlic, onion, & peppers. Stir and cook for about five minutes, just till the onions soften and sizzle. Add balsamic, 1/4 cup cider and about a tbs of water. Stir, bring to boil, then set to low and cover. About ten minutes, stir. Onions should be very soft and melty. Add more cider and water stir and cover another 5 or so minutes. When it's done it should have a light brown color and the onions should taste smooth like in onion soup.
Cut ciabatta in half across the flat side so it can be nice crispy pizza crust. Spoon onion sauce on first. Add smoked mozzarella slices then fennel and chard. Cook on cookie sheet for about 30 minutes, until side of bread are crispy.
*You don't have to do the spicy pepper part, but I love the kick that it adds to all the mellow flavors of everything else.