A Jolly Morning Meal

After the gift frenzy comes to a close on Christmas morning, it’s time to eat.

A tradition for many and encompassing eggy, cheesy and doughy wonder, Christmas morning elevates everyday breakfast with a touch of whimsy and the family togetherness inherit in the most wonderful time of the year. It’s a Christmas breakfast miracle!

Breakfast Pizza
Adapted from The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook
Makes 2 (12-inch) pizzas

6 strips bacon
½ cup grated Parmesan
2 cups grated mozzarella
6 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp minced chives
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced

If making the dough from scratch, visit www.smittenkitchen.com/blog/2010/03/breakfast-pizza for a full recipe. Otherwise, visit your local pizzeria for some fresh, raw dough.

Directions: One to two hours* before baking, place dough in a warm spot. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and set a pizza stone on it. Preheat oven to 500 degrees 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the pizza.

Fry the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Cool on a paper-towel-lined plate; roughly chop.

Dip your hands and a ball of dough into flour. On a lightly floured countertop, pat dough into a disc with your fingertips, then drape dough over your fists and carefully stretch it from beneath to form a 12-inch circle.

Generously dust the surface of a pizza peel or large inverted sheet pan with flour and place stretched dough on it. Sprinkle dough with half of the Parmesan, mozzarella and bacon. Crack 3 eggs over top and season with salt and pepper.

Bake pizza: Shake pizza peel slightly to make sure dough is not sticking. Carefully lift any sections that are sticking and sprinkle a bit more flour underneath, then slide the pizza directly onto baking stone in one quick forward-and-back motion. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. When crust is golden, cheese is melted and egg yolks are cooked, use the peel to transfer pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle half of parsley, chives, scallions and shallot on top. Let cool for 2 minutes, slice and serve immediately. Prepare the second pizza in the same way.