Caramelized Onion Apple Bacon Pizza with Sage & Whole Wheat Crust

 OMG this pizza was amazing.  It makes my mouth water just thinking about it, and I'm so glad that I have two leftover pieces to eat for lunch today because I want more now!!  I don't mean to toot my own horn...I just want to share it's awesomeness with all of you so that you can go and make it for yourself :) 

 It has been a long haul perfecting homemade pizza...take my first attempt for instance...and I don't know if I can truly say I'm there yet...but boy does this come close.   The crust was delicious.  The ingredients were delicious.  And let's be honest, anything that has bacon on it pretty much has my vote.  (for you non-bacon lovers...you can substitute whatever you like...but I don't recommend it!)  

 I honestly would order this pizza from a restaurant, and it is definitely going in my "recipes I would make over and over again" mental file.  I can't wait to make this for when we have guests over because I want to enjoy it with more people!  But then I suppose there will be less of it to enjoy myself....so...maybe I'll skip inviting people over :)  

Homemade pizza can be a bit of a chore if you attempt to make it from scratch the night you plan to serve it.  So what I like to do is make the dough ahead of time, wrap it in saran wrap, place it in a ziploc bag, and freeze it.  The day you plan to make the pizza, put the dough from the freezer in the fridge to thaw it.  It will be ready to use by dinner time - and it makes the meal so much quicker and easier! 

Caramelized Onion Bacon Apple Pizza with Sage & Whole Wheat Crust

Serves 2-4

For the dough:

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, combine warm water, yeast, honey and oil and mix with a spoon. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until foamy, and then add in flour and salt. Mix until just combined, then knead the dough for 5-6 minutes. If it seems too sticky, add a bit more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Brush a separate bowl with olive oil, add dough, turning once, then set in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2-2 hours. Cover with saran wrap or a towel.  (If making dough ahead, after it is done rising – wrap in plastic wrap, place in Ziploc bag and freeze until day you use it)

For the pizza:

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large apple, very thinly sliced

5 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into squares

1 small onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

8-10 sage leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

15 minutes before dough is ready to use, slice onions. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, then add onions with a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, soft and juicy. In the last minute, add garlic and cook for 60 seconds, then set aside off heat. While onions are cooking, cut bacon. Place on a paper-towel lined plate, and cover with another paper towel. Microwave for 4-5 minutes, just until the fat is rendered so the pizza is not incredible greasy. Set aside.

Remove pizza dough from the bowl and throw on a floured surface or on your pizza stone.  (I like to sprinkle my pizza stone with cornmeal and build my pizza directly on it).  Using a rolling pin or your hands, roll and shape it into your desired shape.  Brush with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with nutmeg.  Slice apples, and then add a little bit of all three cheeses onto the dough. Place a layer of apples on the cheese, and then add the onions and garlic. Add the remaining cheese evenly over top, and then finish with bacon and another layer of apples. Add the sage if desired.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.  Enjoy!

Source: adapted from how sweet it is