Potato, Cheddar & Bacon Pizza

Fall is my favorite season. Cozy sweaters, leather boots, crisp cool weather, changing leaves, and Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of the year.

Oh, and football.

I'm completely apathetic about football, college or NFL. My boyfriend...is not. He's a die hard University of Virginia fan (where we both went to school) and every Saturday I relinquish control of the remote so he can watch us lose play. The one thing that does interest me about football is the food. Chili, chips and dip, fried chicken, nachos, alcohol- all good things. And this pizza.

This pizza would convince me to sit down and peruse Pinterest watch a game. It tastes just like the best potato skin you've ever had, except better. Because all that flavor is sitting on top of a thin and crispy pizza crust. 

Potato, Cheddar & Bacon Pizza
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 recipe Homemade Pizza Crust
3 medium red potatoes, skin on
7 slices bacon
1 1/2-2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp fresh chives, minced
Ranch dressing or sour cream (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a sheet pan with cooking spray.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to approximately the same size as your sheet pan. Fold the dough in half and transfer to the greased cookie sheet. Unfold and stretch as necessary so it nearly reaches the edge. Brush the outer edges with olive oil and set aside.
3. Slice the potatoes thinly, about 1/4''. Drop them into a medium pot filled with water and salted. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Drain into a colander and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
4. Place a large saute pan over medium to med-low heat. Add bacon to warm pan and cook, turning occasionally, until almost to your desired doneness (it will cook more in the oven). Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Coarsely chop or crumble and set aside.
5. Assembly: Lay the potato slices onto the pizza dough, overlapping them slightly. Fill the entire dough, leaving a small outer crust exposed (or cover it entirely, your choice). Cover potatoes with shredded cheese. Last, sprinkle bacon over top.
6. Bake pizza in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until the outer edge of the crust is light brown. Allow to cool for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and garnish with fresh chives. Cut into desired slices. Serve with optional dipping condiments.

Recipe Notes:

• Other toppings to consider: caramelized onions, jalepenos, broccoli florets