Caramelized Onion & Mushroom White Pizza

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 small yellow onions $0.84
• 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.24
• a pinch salt and pepper $0.05
• 8 oz button mushrooms $1.75
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme $0.02
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella $0.93
• handful fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. The night before, add the flour, salt, and yeast to a bowl and mix them together. Pour in only enough water for the flour to gather into a dough ball, with no dry patches remaining in the bowl, which should be around 3/4 cup. Cover the bowl loosely and leave the dough on the counter for 12-18 hours.
2. The next day, about an hour and a half before dinner, slice 3 small yellow onions thinly, or use 2 medium/large ones. Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat, add the onions, and cook them for about 45 minutes, giving them a stir every 2-3 minutes. You’re looking for onions that are soft, sweet, and a deep golden brown.
3. As the onions cook, slice the mushrooms. Once the onions are caramelized, move them out of the skillet, then add the mushrooms to the same pan with a pinch of salt and pepper and the dried thyme. The skillet should still have a little oil left in it; if it looks dry, add just a bit more. Cook over medium heat until the mushrooms have released their liquid and the pan is dry again, about 10 minutes.
4. While the mushrooms are on the stove, make the sauce. Mince the garlic clove and place it in a pot with 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook over medium heat until the garlic has softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, then heat while whisking until the mixture turns into a smooth sauce, about 5 minutes.
5. Move an oven rack to the very top position and start heating the oven to 500 degrees. By now, the dough should be very bubbly and at least doubled in size. Dust it well with flour, scrape it from the bowl onto a floured surface, and press it into a round about 10 inches across. Place the dough on a large 16-inch pizza pan coated with non-stick spray, then stretch and press it until it reaches the edges.
6. Use the back of a spoon to spread the sauce across the dough. Scatter the caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms over the sauce, then finish with the shredded mozzarella. Bake in the fully heated 500 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Add chopped fresh parsley after baking, if desired.