Week #12: Idaho - Au Gratin Potato & Bacon Pizza

Au Gratin Potato & Bacon Pizza - Gluten/Soy/Corn Free

State:  Idaho

I have never been to Idaho before and honestly, I do not know where the state is located on a map of the US.  So to those who are from Idaho, please excuse my ignorance and I hope I did your state well.   Going into this challenge, I really did not know what to use for this pizza besides the Russet potato.  Researching the state, I learned that Idaho is well known for huckleberries, which is impossible to find in Florida.  I could have purchased a frozen bag of huckleberries from Amazon for $20 a pound, but they would not have made it here in time and that is a little pricey for something I have never ate before.  So, going forward, I decided to focus on the potato and I read on the state's site that dairy is a big staple in Idaho as well.  Being that the potato was going to be the highlight of the pizza, I decided to make an Au Gratin potato dish and add bacon.  No one will be angry at putting bacon on this pizza.

Idaho natives, I hope I did your pizza justice.  I will definitely make this pizza again!!  This pizza is a must try and is great comfort food.

Ingredients Needed:   1 Pizza

Au Gratin:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons gluten-free flour (tapioca or white rice flour)

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 to 1 cup Organic Half & Half or Milk for preference (Amount depends on consistency)

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups very thinly sliced peeled potatoes (about 2-3 medium)

1/3 cup chopped onion

4 Slices of Organic Smoked Bacon

1 Pizza Crust - homemade or store bought

1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley

Sauce:

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat.  Stir in onions and cook until translucent.   Stir in flour, salt and pepper until a rue consistency is formed.  Gradually add milk and stir till mixture thickens. Cook until mixture is smooth and like a gravy style texture.  Remove from heat. 

Meat:

Take 4 slices of bacon and cook in a medium fry pan on medium heat.  Cook until on both sides until slightly crispy.  Allow to cook and break up into little pieces.

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 410 degrees.  To make the pizza, add a little olive oil to the pizza crust.  Olive oil enhances the flavor of the crust.  Next, take part of the sauce and spread over the crust to create a base.  Third, take the slices of the potato and evenly distribute closely along the pizza.  Fourth, add the sauce and coat over the whole pizza, but not overflowing.  Top off pizza with cheddar cheese.  Place into oven and cook for 10-15 minutes depending on crust or dough mixture or when cheese sauce is cooked.  Do not burn the top or overcook the pizza.  Take pizza out of oven.  Evenly distribute bacon along pizza top of the pizza.  Add chopped parsley and allow pizza to cool before eating.  Sauce on the bottom can be very hot.

Pairing:

With a cheesy and milky pizza with bacon, I would recommend a craft beer that is hoppy or tart.  Since I am not able to find any beers from Idaho here, I went with an IPA from Sierra Nevada.  Any IPA that has a strong hoppy finish or a Barleywine would be great for this pizza.  If I was in Idaho, I would try an IPA from Grand Teton Brewing, Laughing Dog, or Selkirk Abbey Brewing Company.  For a wine, I would focus on a robust red, such as a Merlot or a Pinot Noir.  This will bring out the flavors of the cheese and balance out your palate.

Learning Moments:

I really didn't know what to expect going into making this pizza.  I wasn't sure if this was going to work, or if the potatoes would cook through in a short time frame and if this idea was too simple for a state.  I realized that sometimes simplicity is everything.   This pizza exceeded my expectations and was amazingly good.  It must be the power of cheese, potatoes, and bacon that really made this pizza amazing.  I am actually looking forward to making it again, but on a crust made from scratch.  The most important thing that I learned when cooking, is to keep it simple and focus in on the ingredients.  It's not all about the wow factor, but more about the marriage between the toppings and the taste that will make a pizza successful.

I would highly recommend this pizza!!