Pizza-Ladière From 'The Global Pantry Cookbook'

Directions

1. To prepare the dough, in a food processor fitted with the standard blade or a plastic dough blade, add ingredients in this order: water, yeast, flour, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the salt. Process until the dough clumps together around the blade, then continue to mix for 30 seconds as the dough spins.
2. Put 1⁄4 cup of olive oil into an 18x13-inch half-sheet pan and use your hands to oil the bottom and sides. Turn the dough out onto the pan (the dough will be sticky) and rotate several times so that it is completely covered in oil. Flatten the dough with your fingers and palms and gently press it toward the four corners. It will not stretch all the way— that comes later. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a room-temperature place (but not in direct sunlight) for 3 1⁄2 to 4 hours. As it rises, it will push against the plastic and begin to sprawl toward the edges.
3. Meanwhile, peel the onions and halve them vertically, from stem to stern (not around their equator), and slice into thin half-moons; separate these into strips. Halfway through this tearful chore, heat a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. When the butter has just melted, add the onions and use tongs or a big spoon to toss and coat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, turning the onions every 10 minutes or so. You don’t want them to burn and stick. As their natural moisture evaporates, the onions will begin to turn blond. Add the remaining butter and oil, if necessary, to lessen sticking. (You can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.) Continue cooking for about 60 minutes, until well caramelized: blond to tan in color, and soft. Remove all but 1 cup of the onions from the pan. Turn the heat to high under the remaining onions and stir until the onions scorch here and there into a deep mahogany hue, about 5 minutes. Mix the scorched onions thoroughly with the rest. For convenience later, line up your anchovies and halved olives at this point.
4. One hour before eating time, preheat the oven to 550˚F (or 500˚F, if that’s the max) with the rack placed in the lowest position. About 30 minutes before eating, remove the plastic wrap from the dough and gently work the dough so it reaches all edges of the pan. The dough will deflate during this process, so be gentle. Perfect evenness is not necessary. Spread the onions on the dough with your hands, then add the anchovies and olives in whatever pattern strikes your fancy.
5. Bake the pizza until the bottom of the crust (lift it with a fork or spatula) is nicely browned and the top of the crust is, too, 11 to 15 minutes. Brown, not blond, is the goal here. Remove to a cutting board, cut into 12 pieces, and serve immediately. If you need to wait a few minutes, put the pizza on a rack with air beneath it. It’s delicious served warm as well as piping hot.