Truffled Potato Pizza

Our consulting chef Pam McKinstry’s favorite NorCal pizza restaurant (Pizza Antica in Santana Row, San Jose, CA, if you’re in the neighborhood) serves a “white” pizza year-round, and it’s her all-time favorite — rich with crème fraîche, silky potatoes and caramelized onions, redolent of truffle oil. This is her approximation of that flavorful experience for home cooks.

If your budget doesn’t stretch to truffle oil or truffled Pecorino, use a combination of fontina and Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano. Instead of one large pizza, you can also make this recipe as individual servings and cooked on a pizza stone or a cast iron griddle on a very hot barbecue.

Place the potatoes in a saucepan; add enough cold water to cover and 1 tablespoon of salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and boil with the lid slightly ajar until the potatoes are almost tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and let the potatoes cool. When cool, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside.

Place a pizza stone or baking sheet (turned upside down if rimmed) on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat to 500 degrees F.

Roll, pat and stretch the pizza dough to form a 14- to 16-inch round. Sprinkle a pizza peel or a baking sheet (turned upside down if rimmed) with cornmeal. Transfer the dough to the prepared peel.

Spread the crème fraîche over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch plain border around the edge. Sprinkle with the truffled Pecorino cheese. Scatter the caramelized onions over the pizza. Arrange the potato slices on the dough and then drizzle them with truffle oil. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano Reggiano and thyme leaves.