Forget the simply adorned pizza; this one is as busy as an oven at Thanksgiving. But that also makes it delicious with a range of wines.
The only caveat is to assure that the wine sports a crisp, tangy edge. The salt in the recipe is no friend to flabby, low-acid wine and will render it unbecomingly flat. Because this pie verges on a white pizza, a full-flavored white wine might be as tasty as a red. And even though the recipe asks for Italianate flavorings, no need to stick to Italy as a sole source for the wine.
The food:
Nuts for pizza
Saute 1 small red onion, thinly sliced, in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to soften, 2 minutes; season with salt. Add 2 cloves garlic, minced; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Brush 1 tablespoon olive oil on a prebaked (12-inch) pizza crust. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Italian herb blend and salt and pepper to taste. Top with onion-garlic mixture, 8 grape tomatoes, halved, 1/2 cup sliced almonds and chopped fresh tarragon. Sprinkle with 8 ounces shredded mozzarella. Bake according to crust directions, 10-12 minutes. Makes: 4 servings
The wines
2009 Cecchi Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy:
OK, this is the ultimate pizza wine, of whatever color or topping, for its clean, incisive, uncomplicated fruitiness, moderate tannin and zippy acidity. A no-failer. $11-$12
2010 Puiatti Zuccole Sauvignon, Friuli, Italy:
Italians often say “sauvignon” for 100 percent sauvignon blanc; mix green apple character with hints of grapefruit and lime and finish with super-acidity. $13
Troublemaker Blend 3, Paso Robles, California:
A blend of vintages and grapes (syrah, grenache, mourvedre and petite syrah) for both Rhone-like depth and California flair; too hefty for a light pie? Not with that rich fattiness. $18-$20
— Bill St. John, special to Tribune Newspapers
