Recently I started using padrons in recipes as well enjoying on their own. One of my favorites is this recipe for this Grilled Balsamic Onion and Padron Pizza. This recipe is made with balsamic onions, Padrón and salty manchego cheese, with an optional egg.
All of these ingredients in this Grilled Balsamic Onion and Padron Pizza recipe pair really well together and especially when grilled over fire which adds a smoky flavor to the pizza.
Recipe: Grilled Balsamic Onion and Padron Pizza
Ingredients:
1 large yellow onion, sliced very thin
olive oil
good quality balsamic vinegar
a handful of padrons, stems removed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup manchego cheese, sliced very thin, we use a vegetable peeler
maldon salt or black sea salt
egg – this is optional
How To:
Heat your grill according to your directions.
Clean the grate of the grill, you do not want any extra food hanging out on it. Not only will this change the flavor of the pizza but it will cause the pizza to stick.
You will want to keep the heat at about 425.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and slowly cook, over low heat, until caramelized; about 25 – 30 minutes, depending on the heat of your stove. Do not make them dark brown.
Add a drizzle of balsamic, stir and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Roll out the pizza dough on a well-floured surface. Move the rolled out dough to a large baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal.
Grill the dough for a couple minutes on each side, just long enough to make it slightly firm. Remove from the heat, and put back onto the baking sheet or a pizza wheel if you have one.
Then place your toppings on top of the dough in this order: onions, padrons, and cheese. Slide the pizza back onto the grill.
If you are adding an egg, break it onto the middle of the pizza and sprinkle with salt.
Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Close the cover to your grill.
The pizza will be ready in 12 – 15 minutes.
I check every so often, as you may need to slightly move it around, so you do not burn the crust.
Serve.
Eat.