Cheese pizza is fun and all, but let's be honest, it can get boring pretty quickly. If you're looking to have a homemade pizza night for dinner but don't feel like settling for boring cheese pizza, make this flavorful whole wheat pizza instead. Topped with gruyère cheese, pancetta, and caramelized onions, your tastebuds will be singing after just one bite of this whole wheat pizza masterpiece.

Recipe development by Sue Hoss.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm water (105°F to 110°F)
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
3 oz. pancetta or smoked bacon, diced
4 cups thinly sliced red onions
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Nonstick cooking spray
Cornmeal
1 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or rosemary leaves
1 tsp. chopped fresh chives
Finely grated lemon zest

How to Make It

For the pizza dough, in the bowl of a stand mixer combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand 5 minutes or until foamy. Add the flours, 1 Tbsp. of the oil, and 1/2 tsp. of the salt; mix with a dough hook attachment on medium until dough forms a ball around the hook. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, knead briefly, and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil over medium. Add pancetta and red onions; cook, stirring often, about 15 minutes or until onions are very soft and beginning to brown and pancetta is just beginning to crisp. Stir in vinegar and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Set onion mixture aside.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly coat a pizza pan or baking sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. After dough has risen, punch it down and roll and stretch it out to a 12-inch circle. Place dough on the prepared pan.
Evenly distribute the onion mixture over crust; sprinkle cheese over onion mixture. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with thyme, chives, and lemon zest. Cut into wedges.