Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Pizza
A pizza version of your favorite bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, with crispy bacon, melty cheese, perfectly cooked eggs (with oozy yolks), and fresh chives. Make it for brunch. Make it for dinner. Make it whenever you need a bite of pure comfort (or hangover relief).
Makes: 1 (12-inch) pizza
Cost: $12.00
Ingredients
- ¼ to ⅓ pound thick-cut bacon chopped (5 or 6 slices)
- 1 ball pizza dough
- 4 ounces sharp Cheddar, American, or other tasty, melty cheese grated (1 heaping cup)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- Hot sauce for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 550°F or as high as it will go (if using a stone/steel, put it on a rack in the center of the oven before you start preheating).
- Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until it's just beginning to crisp up, about 5 minutes. (Resist the urge to let it get crispy; it will cook more on the pizza!) Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside. Do not drain the grease in the skillet.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12-inch circle, then transfer it to a floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel) or heavy duty baking sheet or pizza pan. (If your only baking sheet is on the flimsier side, reduce the oven temp to 450°F to prevent warping.)
- Brush the dough very lightly with the reserved bacon grease (don't worry about coating the dough; just give it a little sheen). Top with the bacon, cheese, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake just until the crust turns golden and the cheese melts, about 5 minutes on a baking sheet or about 3 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- While the pizza bakes, crack the eggs into separate small ramekins or bowls and measure the cream into a measuring cup with a spout for easy drizzling.
- Carefully pull out the oven rack (or take the pizza out of the oven if you're feeling brave). Slowly drizzle the pizza with the cream, making sure it doesn't drip over the edges. Slide an egg onto each quadrant of the pizza and season with salt and pepper. Bake the pizza for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still jiggly.
- Take the pizza out of the oven. Sprinkle with the chopped chives. Slice and serve with hot sauce or any other condiments that make you happy.
Notes
¼ cup of heavy cream looks like a lot when you pour it onto the parbaked pizza, and four jiggly raw eggs add even more potential for disaster. I know!
Just trust the process, resist the urge to panic, and watch your pizza as it cooks. The cream will congeal into a luscious, thick "sauce" as the eggs cook perfectly on top, creating a truly perfect bite.