Caramelized Onion, Sausage, and Basil Pizza

This pizza is very different, but oh so yummy!  Cut it into bite-sized pieces for an hors d'oeuvre or serve it up with a green salad as the main course!  Don't let the blue cheese fool you; this pizza is exceptionally light as there's no sauce or heavy melted mozzarella to drown out the strong flavors of the sausage, onions, and basil...oh, and blue cheese!

2 medium sweet onions (Maui or Walla Walla), thinly sliced

olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound pizza dough

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound spicy turkey sausage, casings removed, crumbled

3/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese

1/4 cup shopped fresh basil

Place a rack in the center of your oven and another in the upper third of the oven.  Preheat the oven (with your pizza stone, if using, on the center rack) to 500.  Drizzle olive oil on a rimmed backing sheet.

In a large bowl, toss the sliced onions with vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until coated.  Arrange in a single layer on the oiled baking sheet.  Bake in the upper third of oven about 20 minutes, until golden.  Cool slightly.

While the onions are baking, brown the sausage, crumbling the meat as you go.

On a lightly floured (or corn meal'ed) surface, roll out your pizza dough according to directions.  Form into a 13-inch circle and pinch edges to form a rim.  Transfer dough to pizza peel or pizza pan, depending on which you plan to use. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and sprinkle minced garlic over top.  On top of the garlic, arrange the baked onions, sausage, and blue cheese.  Slide onto pizza stone (if using) and bake until crust is golden and crispy and cheese is melted.

Sprinkle chopped basil over baked pizza, slice, and serve hot.

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from Weeknights with Giada, by Giada de Laurentiis.