Better Than Warm Apple Pie

Warm apple pie and a scoop of ice cream sounds great right about now, doesn't it?  But the problem with a.pie is pairing it with wine.  I don't think there's any wine out there that makes for a perfect match.

So make an apple pizza.  Trust me.  It's excellent and you can enjoy a glass of wine with it.

Apple-Onion-Cheddar Pizza (modified from this recipe @ epicurious)

1 frozen puff pastry sheet (from a 17 1/4-oz package), thawed
2 tablespoons panko or dry bread crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion - thinly sliced into rings
1 1/2 lb fresh, u-pick apples (e.g. little McIntosh, Gala) (3 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup grated aged English white Cheddar (e.g. North Devon Cheddar)
parchment paper

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

Allow pastry to thaw at room temperature for 30-40 minutes.  Roll out pastry sheet into a 15- by 12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then prick pastry all over with a fork. Sprinkle panko over pastry.

Heat butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat, swirling pan, about 1 minute.  Add onions and sautee 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat, add apples, sugar and salt and mix thoroughly. Spread apple-onion mixture evenly over pastry, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Fold in edges over apples, pressing down firmly on corners and sides. Bake until apples are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over apples and bake 5 minutes more until cheese is golden and bubbling.  Better than granny's apple pie!

Pair With:  Through dumb luck I discovered that Amontillado Sherry is a surprisingly good match with this pizza.  The funky-tart-sweet flavors pair well with this rich, salty-nutty style of Sherry.  Try Lustau 'Escuadrilla' Amontillado ($15).

Or:  Prosecco or Cava are, of course, ready to harmonize with this dish.

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