Vegetarian Mushroom Pizza with Havarti, Fresh Herbs, & White Truffle Oil

I professed my love of mushrooms earlier this year with the help of The Bruce Dickinson and his cowbell (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/mushroom-risotto), and wasn't lying. If I could only have one kind of pizza the rest of my life, this is it. Havarti and fontina cheese, sautéed shiitake and baby bella mushrooms, fresh rosemary and thyme, and a little drizzle of white truffle oil make this pizza wonderfully rich and completely addicting.

Truffle oil is a bit too rich for the BF [Ed. note: I'm already fungus drunk!], so I just drizzled it on half of the pizza. Honestly, this doesn't need it as it's very rich on it's own, but it definitely gives the pizza a wow factor.

I added thinly sliced red onion and minced serrano peppers. Entirely optional, but I thought it balanced the spices and richness of the cheese and truffle oil.
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NOTES:

• If you don't have truffle oil or dislike the taste (like the BF), simply leave it off, or only drizzle on one half the pizza as I did.
• ​Don't have time to make your own pizza crust? Use store bought. I won't tell.
• You do not have to make a perfectly round pizza. See mine below.

PS: One year ago, a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime [Ed. note: well hopefully not] family reunion permeated the roasted beet salad with orange and avocado recipe (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/roasted-beet-salad-with-orange-and-avocado).

Adapted from: A Beautiful Plate
Number of Servings: Makes one 10-11 inch pizza

Ingredients
Pizza Dough

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons warm water (105-115 °F)
• 1 ½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• Cornmeal, for dusting

Toppings

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced into ¼-inch slices
• 4 ounces baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and sliced into ¼-inch slices
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh rosemary  (1-2 sprigs)
• 2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves (3-4 sprigs)
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 5 ounces Havarti Cheese, grated
• 3 ounces fontina cheese, grated
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• 1-2 serrano peppers, seeded, minced (optional), added after baking
• White truffle oil, for drizzling (2 teaspoons roughly)

Directions
Pizza Dough

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add the warm water, and stir mixture with a wooden spoon until the dough just begins to come together. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead it for three minutes, or until it is smooth and slightly elastic. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise at room temperature [Ed. note: ROOM TEMPERATURE] for 2 hours or until double in size.

Mushrooms

1. Heat very large (more surface area = better) skillet over very high heat. Add olive oil, followed by the sliced mushrooms, and spread into a single layer with a wooden spoon. Continue to sauté for 5-6 minutes (mushrooms will quickly begin to release their moisture); keep cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Add the chopped garlic and continue to sauté, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. De-glaze the pan with dry sherry. Place back on the heat, add chopped rosemary and thyme, and continue to cook over medium-high heat until all sherry has evaporated. Set aside mushrooms to cool.
   

Assembly

1. Preheat oven to 500 °F. If you have one, preheat a baking or pizza stone (alternatively, you can use a baking sheet) for at least 20-30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll or stretch the dough until it forms a rough 10-inch circle. The dough will be thin. Transfer it to a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal (or the baking sheet, if using).
2. Brush the top of the dough lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the pizza, leaving a ¾-inch border on the edges. Spoon mushrooms and distribute evenly on top of the cheese. Top with sliced red onion. Slide pizza gently onto baking stone (or place baking sheet in oven) and bake for 8-10 minutes (it will take slightly longer if you are using a baking sheet) or until the dough is golden and cheese is melted and bubbly. 
3. Immediately drizzle the top of pizza with white truffle oil, and garnish with minced serrano pepper (if using), additional rosemary sprigs or thyme leaves, if desired. Slice and serve.