This pickle pizza recipe, with Canadian bacon and dill, is a winning combo

We preferred this thin crust pie, but if you want to emulate the Quad City dough, make the one included in this recipe, Quad Cities-Style Pizza. For a thicker crust, use 1 pound rather than 1/2 pound of dough. You will need to increase the cooking time, to 13 to 15 minutes.

Also, we found store-bought sliced ​​pickles too thick for this use, so we bought whole dill pickles and sliced ​​them about 1/8 inch thick.

Make the pizza vegetarian or add thinly sliced ​​bacon or Canadian ham. To save time and effort, use store-bought batter and substitute store-bought alfredo sauce for the mornay.

Storage: Leftover pizza can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Mornay sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator; then whisk or stir until smooth. No need to reheat, if you use it for pizza. If using as a topping for other foods, reheat in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until just warmed through.

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• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 large clove garlic, minced or finely grated
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1/2 pound store-bought pizza dough (see main note)
• Vegetable or olive oil, for brushing the dough
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill leaves, divided, plus more as needed
• 6 slices (1 3/4 ounces) finely cut Canadian bacon or boiled ham, optional
• 1 1/4 cups (4 ounces) coarsely grated part skim mozzarella cheese, plus more if needed
• 1 1/2 large dill pickles (about 1 1/2 ounces), thinly sliced, plus more as needed (see main note)

At least 30 minutes before ready to bake, place a pizza stone or large inverted-rimmed baking sheet on a rack in the top third of the oven; preheat to 475 degrees.

Make the sauce: In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in flour until smooth and cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly and foamy – do not let brown – about 1 minute. Add milk, whisking constantly, until boiling, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk, whisking briskly to prevent curdling, then whisk in the cheese. (You should have about 1/2 cup.)

Lightly dust your work surface with flour and place a large sheet of parchment paper nearby. Using a rolling pin, roll out the pizza dough into a 12-inch circle or square. Gently slide the parchment under the shaped dough.

Spread a thin, even layer of sauce over the crust, leaving about 1/2 inch from the bare edge. (You’ll probably use a generous 1/4 cup, so reserve the rest for another use (see note). Brush the edges of the crust with the oil. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon dill over the sauce, then arrange the Canadian bacon or ham, if using, on top. Top evenly with mozzarella to the edge of the crust. Arrange the pickle slices around the pie and sprinkle generously with the remaining dill.

Slide the pizza with the parchment onto a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet, then transfer it to the heated pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned and crust is lightly browned around edges.

Remove the pizza from the oven and slide it, still on the parchment paper, onto a cutting board. Sprinkle with fresh dill, if desired, let stand for about 2 minutes and serve.

Per serving (2 slices), based on 4

Calories: 303; Total fat: 13 g; Saturated fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 78mg; Sodium: 1207mg; Carbohydrates: 33g; Dietary fiber: 2g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 15g

This analysis is an estimate based on the available ingredients and this preparation. It should not replace the advice of a dietitian or nutritionist.

Recipe editor Ann Maloney’s pizza recipe. Mornay sauce adapted from “A French Chef Cooks at Home” by Jacques Pépin (Touchstone, 1980).

Tested by Ann Maloney; questions by e-mail to [email protected].

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