Breakfast Pizza Crown

Makes 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

 Ingredients

  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 pound pizza dough, store bought or homemade, brought to room temperature
  • ⅓ pound bacon, diced (cut into small pieces of generally the same size)
  • 1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup half-and-half, room temperature or slightly warmed
  • ⅓ cup diced onion
  • ⅓ cup diced bell pepper (your favorite color)
  • Salt, to taste
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius). Line a 12-inch round pizza pan or cookie pan with parchment paper.
  2. Mix the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, and set aside.
  3. On the lined pizza pan, press the pizza dough into a circle the size and shape of your pizza pan. If the dough resists being stretched, allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes covered in plastic wrap, and stretch the dough a second time.
  4. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut 8 small triangular slices in the center of the pizza dough, leaving a 3-inch border on the outside.
  5. In a non-stick pan over medium heat, cook the bacon for 5 to 8 minutes – depending on the thickness of the bacon – until mostly cooked.
  6. Once the bacon is done, remove to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain and leave 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan.
  7. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the flour to pan. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the flour is no longer raw, but not browned.
  8. Add the warm half-and-half and stir constantly to avoid lumps. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
  9. Add the diced onion and peppers to the pan and season with salt and ground black pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until they just begin to soften.
  10. Add the beaten eggs and, if desired, more pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, until the eggs are just soft set.
  11. To the eggs, add the cooked bacon and mixed shredded cheeses, and stir to combine.
  12. Add the egg filling to the uncut 3-inch border of dough, leaving about a ½-inch border on the outside.
    Add the egg filling to the uncut 3-inch border of doughTipHero
  13. Wrap each center triangle of dough over the filling, towards the edge, and secure under the outer edge of the dough. Adjust the ring if needed to ensure a nice round pizza crown.
    Wrap each center triangle of dough over the filling and secure under the outer edge of the doughTipHero
  14. Brush the top of the crown with half of the melted butter.
  15. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the dough turns golden brown and the egg filling is puffy.
  16. Brush the top of the dough with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish with sliced green onions, if using. Serve warm.

Chef’s Tip

  • Resist the urge to cook the eggs completely in step 10, as they will continue cooking in the oven and will become rubbery if you do so.