Caramelized Onion-Portabello Mini Pizzas

Submitted by Outta Here

"Single serving pizzas using refrigerated biscuits for the crusts. This is thick crust. For thinner crust use the 4 biscuit size can. (I used Pillsbury Grands low-fat Buttermilk) A RSC #16 entry."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Yields: 4 6
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 medium sweet onion (Vidalia or Walla Walla)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 medium portabella mushrooms
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Italian sausages, uncooked (hot or sweet)
• 1 (16 ounce) can refrigerated biscuits (8 count)
• 8 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded

directions

1. In small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, chopped basil, oregano, garlic powder and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, until thoroughly blended. Set aside.
2. Peel onion and slice into rings.
3. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion slices and saute for about 3 minutes, separating rings as you stir. Stir in sugar and continue sauteing until onion begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan into small bowl. Set aside.
4. Remove and discard stems from mushrooms and slice caps into 1/4 inch slices, getting about 8-10 slices from each mushroom.
5. In same pan used for onions, heat 3 tbs olive oil over medium heat and add mushroom slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, until mushrooms just begin to give off their liquid. Remove from pan to plate and set aside.
6. In same pan, cook the sausages until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Cut them crosswise into 1/4 inch slices.
7. Preheat oven to 375°F Lightly coat a large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray ( or use 2 small cookie sheets).
8. Open biscuits according to instructions on can. Take out 2 biscuits and with one stacked on the other, roll out on lightly floured surface with rolling pin, until 6-8 inches in diameter. Set on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining biscuits until you have four rounds.
9. Divide ricotta mixture among the 4 rounds, spreading it out to cover to within 1/2 inch of edge. Use your fingers for this.
10. Divide mushroom slices among the rounds, then the sausage slices, then the onions.
11. Sprinkle 2 tbs. Parmesan on each round. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until crusts are done, and toppings are hot. If using 2 cookie sheets, place one on upper rack and 1 on lower rack, and switch them halfway through cooking time. (If making the thinner crust, bake 10-15 minutes).
12. Remove from oven and cut each round in half and serve.

Reviews

[Susie D]

I made these for a movie/ pizza night and both of us enjoyed them. I used ground italian sausage rather than links and opted to use premade flatbread instead of the biscuits. I decorated the tops of the pizzas with tiny yellow tomato halves after baking. The filling is creamy and thick. It's an excellent base for the cooked ingredients although a sprinkle of grated mozzarella might be welcome in addition to the parmesan to hold everything on these loaded pizzas. Thank you for sharing your recipe & good luck in the contest! :-)