Recipe: Potato pizza

Total time: 1 hour, plus heating time for the oven

Servings: Makes 2 (10- to 12-inch) pizzas, about 12 slices

Note: The white sauce recipe makes 3 cups sauce, more than is needed for this recipe. The remaining sauce will keep covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week. This recipe requires the use of a mandoline for slicing the potatoes thin enough. Inexpensive mandolines ($20 to $25) can be found at most Asian markets and cooking supply stores.

Caramelized onion white sauce

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, sliced lengthwise into thin ribbons (about 4 packed cups)

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 cup cream

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1. In a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan, melt the butter with the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and takes on a golden shade, about 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook just until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Stir in the white wine and cook, scraping any flavoring from the bottom of the pan, until the wine is almost completely absorbed. Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir to completely coat the onions.

3. Whisk in the milk and cream and bring the mixture to a bare simmer. Continue to cook, stirring constantly (and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent flour from settling) until the mixture thickens to a sauce, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, season with the salt and pepper and set aside.

Potato topping

1/2 pound fingerling or other waxy potatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons minced rosemary

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1. Using a mandoline, slice the potatoes lengthwise as thinly as possible (they should be paper thin) into a large colander. Gently rinse the potato slices, washing off any excess starch. Shake the colander to drain the water and place the potatoes in a medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle the salt over the bowl and gently toss to coat the potatoes. Set aside for 15 minutes while the potatoes exude any excess moisture.

3. Grab a handful of potatoes and gently squeeze with your hands to drain the liquid. Place the drained potatoes in a large bowl. Repeat until all of the potato slices are drained.

4. Toss the drained potatoes with the olive oil, rosemary and Parmesan cheese.

Pizza assembly

2 prepared pizza dough disks

1/2 cup caramelized onion white sauce, cool or at room temperature, divided

Potato topping, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

Coarse sea salt

1. Prepare the oven, setting the temperature as high as it will go (most ovens will reach 500- to 550-degrees). It’s best to start heating the oven at least 45 minutes before you plan to start baking.

2. Place one pizza disk on a peel sprinkled with extra flour or cornmeal to prevent sticking. Spread one-fourth cup sauce over the pizza, then gently sprinkle over one-half of the potato topping in a single layer. Sprinkle over black pepper and sea salt to taste.

3. Slide the first pizza into the oven. The pizza will be done when the crust is puffed and rich golden-brown in color, the tips of the potato slices are crisp and golden and the sauce is bubbling gently, from 6 to 12 minutes depending on how your oven is set up (the hotter the oven, the shorter the time). Remove the first pizza and cool for a minute or two to set up for cleaner slicing, or set aside in a warm place until the second pizza is baked.

4. Allow the oven to reheat while you assemble the second pizza. Bake the second pizza and serve immediately.

Each slice: 148 calories; 4 grams protein; 22 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 5 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 6 mg. cholesterol; 335 mg. sodium.