Mushroom and Fennel Pizza with Parmesan and Cream
This flavor bomb pizza is packed with earthy mushrooms, herbaceous fennel and tarragon, salty parmesan cheese, and fresh cream.
Makes: 1 (12- to 14-inch) pizza
Cost: $15
Equipment
- Cutting board and knife
- Skillet
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- Pizza peel (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 10 ounces cremini or Baby Bella mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the dough
- ½ medium fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
- ¾ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone/steel in the bottom third of the oven before you start preheating). Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes. Then, if you’re using a baking stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
- Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté just until it has softened, then add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are tender and have released their liquid. Remove the skillet from the heat and season the mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle, then transfer it to an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Brush the dough lightly with olive oil, making sure to get all the way to the edges. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to the dough and spread them out, then scatter on the fennel and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Drizzle the cream evenly over top.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake/broil until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned in spots—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 6 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle on the tarragon and finish with a pinch of salt and a grind or two of black pepper. Slice and serve.