Escarole Pizza with White Bean Spread and Caramelized Onions

Escarole Pizza with White Bean Spread and Caramelized Onions is a great pie to serve any time of year. The recipe doesn’t include much tomato sauce, and the white bean spread gives the pizza its heartiness. The combo of the slightly bitter greens and the sweet, caramelized onions is fantastic!

Growing up, my family often ate escarole, or “scarol” as it was pronounced in my house. I wasn’t always a huge fan, as it has a slightly bitter taste – not something kids really like all that much. Escarole is part of the chicory-endive-radicchio family, but the bitterness isn’t overwhelming. You can add it to salads, soups or stews, cook it up with pasta, or serve it as a side dish.

I love how the curly outer leaves of a head of escarole are a pretty, vibrant green shade, and get lighter as you move to the heart of the head.

In my opinion, caramelized onions pair really well with escarole – you get the sweet with the slightly bitter for a great combination. Serve it on pizza for a great pie!

Recipe for Escarole Pizza with White Bean Spread and Caramelized Onions:

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1, 15-ounce can white cannelloni (Great Northern) beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup loosely packed escarole that has been washed, dried and torn into small pieces
• 1 pound fresh pizza dough (or pre-packaged pizza crust)
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into thin strips and caramelized (this should take at least 20 minutes)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• Flour for dusting your work surface

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For fresh dough, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. If using pre-packaged crust, follow the package directions.
2. Dust your work surface with flour and roll out and shape the dough.
3. In a food processor, add the beans, 2-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper. Purée until smooth, and set aside.
4. Add the shaped dough to a baking sheet and bake for about 6 minutes (or for pre-packaged pizza crust, several minutes less than what the directions indicate).
5. Remove the dough from the oven.
6. Carefully spread the white bean purée over the pizza crust. Next add the marinara sauce. Sprinkle most of the Parmesan cheese over the tomato sauce, then add the caramelized onions.
7. Top with the torn pieces of escarole. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over the escarole, then sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
8. Bake for about 4 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Keep an eye on the pizza as it finishes baking so it doesn’t overcook.

Serves 4