This Bacon Pizza with Caramelized Onions is packed with rich flavors and is sure to make pizza night even better! This recipe was the first prize winner in the 2012 Bacon Recipe Contest, as featured in The 2012 Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Note: If you don’t like the blue cheese (a polarizing flavor), you have a few options: Substitute with feta or another cheese or just leave it out altogether.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cook the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings from the skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Stir in the salt and red pepper flakes. While the onions cook, blend the mascarpone cheese, sour cream, and thyme in a small bowl. Lightly grease a 12-inch pizza pan (if you have a pizza stone, skip this step and heat it when heating the oven). Sprinkle the pan or stone with cornmeal. Press or roll out the dough to a 12-inch round and place it on the prepared pan or stone. Brush the crust with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange the provolone slices over the entire crust in a single layer. Spread the mascarpone mixture over the provolone. Top with the sliced tomatoes in a single layer. Spoon the onions over the tomatoes. Top with the olives and crisp bacon. Sprinkle blue cheese over all. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the topping is browned and bubbly. Cut into wedges.
