Carbonara Pizza

And yet another recipe from last week's wine tasting. This tasty little dish was a great appetizer and paired nicely with our Da Vinci Chianti Classico. The topping of this pizza is a re-creating of a carbonara pasta dish - complete with pancetta, eggs, and ricotta!

Pancetta is a wonderful Italian style bacon, with a great smoky-n-salty flavor. And the gorgeous cheesy mixture on top somehow manages to seem rich and light at the same time. This would be a fun weeknight meal or a tasty appetizer to get your guests going before an Italian meal.

Carbonara Pizza
from Rachel Ray

Cornmeal, for sprinkling
1 lb. pizza dough, at room temperature (recommended: Trader Joe's)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 lb. pancetta, chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese (parmesan would also work well)
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 clove garlic, grated or minced
Pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat your oven to 450°. Sprinkle a few pinches of cornmeal on a baking sheet. Place the pizza dough on the sheet and stretch it into a large round or rectangle. If stretching is difficult, use a rolling pin. Brush the dough with the olive oil and partially bake the crust until puffed and slightly golden, about 8 minutes.

Note: If you are pressed for time, you could start right >>here<< in the recipe with a pre-made crust like Mama Mary's or Boboli's. :-)

Warm up a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring often, until crisp and browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a bowl lined with paper towels and allow it to drain and cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, pecorino romano, egg yolks and garlic; next add the pancetta. Season the mixture with pepper, stirring to combine.

Spread the ricotta-pancetta mixture over the partially baked pizza dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges for a crust. Top the pizza with the provolone. Bake until the crust and topping are golden and cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley, cut into wedges, and serve immediately!