Recipe: Portobello Mushroom, Green Onion, Pesto and Fontina Pizza

Makes one 14-inch pizza

- 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal or olive oil

- ¼ cup basil pesto

- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

- 3 large portobello mushrooms, stems and black gills removed

- 1 bunch (about 8) green onions, ends trimmed

- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

- 1 package (18 ounces) frozen pizza dough

- Flour for rolling

- 4 ounces Italian fontina cheese, thinly sliced

1. Remove dough from refrigerator or freezer and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes if fresh or 4 hours if frozen.

2. Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Sprinkle cornmeal over the bottom of a 16-inch pizza pan or a baking sheet. (Or lightly oil pan with olive oil.) Set aside.

3. Combine pesto and 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside. Brush mushrooms and green onions with remaining olive oil. Grill on a grill pan or spread on a baking sheet and broil until tender but still firm, turning occasionally. Transfer mushrooms to a cutting board and slice into 1/2-inch strips. Cut off root ends from green onions, then cut into 2-inch pieces. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.

4. Lightly flour surface for rolling crust — a thin film will do. Roll dough to a 14-inch circle. From time to time, lift dough off surface and stretch it lightly in all directions, which makes it easier to roll. Place in prepared pan, forming a slightly raised edge.

5. Spread pesto evenly over surface of dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with mushrooms and green onions. Sprinkle cheese over the vegetables and grind a little pepper over the top.

6. Place pan on center oven rack and bake 15 minutes. Lift crust with a spatula to check if bottom of pizza is browned and cooked through. If not, set on bottom oven rack and continue baking 4 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing.

From "Pizza" by Diane Morgan and Tony Gemignani