Kohlrabi Greens, Manchego, Potato and Bacon Pizza with Red Onion and Rosemary (Pizza Night!)

Today's pizza happened because I baked bacon.  It's my favorite meat, and I tend to not to cook it often because I cannot help myself around it.  Know your triggers.
I always bake bacon--it works best for me.  If I cook it in the skillet, I have too much spatter to clean up.  But baking my bacon means I can easily freeze the cooked strips, drain the baking pan into my Bacon Grease Storage Device, and be on my way to making delicious pork-flavored goodness.  Or something like that.

It wasn't enough for me to use two vegetables from the farm share (roasted garlic and new potatoes) like I'd planned for this pizza.  When I saw the pretty greens on this week's kohlrabi (I knew I needed the kohlrabi themselves for sushi) I figured they'd add a nice pop of color to the pizza.  I didn't figure on the unintended Kale Chip Side Effect.  After I sliced this pizza, I couldn't help but grab the little tufts of greens that were stuck to the slicer--they tasted just like kale chips!  My daughter did not complain about the relative dearth of green on her slices, so I think it worked out well for both of us.

This pizza uses Manchego cheese, a sheep's milk cheese from the (Man of La) Mancha region of Spain.  I got mine at Costco.  Why?  The French Green Lentil Effect.  I'm all about the Effects today.  I was looking for gruyere, but found Manchego instead.  Rachael Ray mentions Manchego now and again, so I should buy it, right?  Apparently she thinks Manchego cheese plays nicely with potatoes.  And now I do, too!  I have a lot of Manchego now, shredded and stashed in my freezer for future use.

Kohlrabi Greens, Manchego, Potato and Bacon Pizza with Red Onion and Rosemary

3 small potatoes

greens from up to 4 kohlrabi (thick stems fed to the composting pigs, smaller stems and leaves sliced)

1 clove roasted garlic smushed into 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm olive oil

1 pound pizza dough (my Pizza Primer is here)

2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 Tablespoon finely minced red onion

1 cup Manchego cheese, shredded

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Boil potatoes in salted water for about 10 minutes (they won't be completely done, that's OK) Add greens to the potatoes for the final 2 minutes of cooking time.  Drain.  When potatoes are cool, slice into thin slices and set aside.  Squeeze greens to remove as much moisture as possible.  

On an oiled piece of parchment paper, spread dough in an approximate circle shape.  Brush garlic oil on top of dough.  Top with thin slices of potato, then a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Bake in preheated oven on baking stone (or cookie sheet) for 8-10 minutes, until potatoes are lightly browned.  Remove from oven, top with greens, bacon, red onion, and cheese.  Scatter rosemary across the top.  Return to oven (this time leave the parchment on the counter and place the pizza directly on the stone or cookie sheet) and bake until cheese is bubbly, another 3-8 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack, then slice and serve.  Enjoy!

This post is linked with the Farmgirl Friday Blog Fest at Let This Mind Be in You, What's In The Box at In Her Chucks, and the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up at Gastronomical Sovereignty!

Yes, Virginia, you can eat your kohlrabi greens.

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