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Cold greens and dressing on a warm, crunchy crust. Who could resist? This idea of a blue cheese Caesar was adopted from Jacques Pépin. You can make the dish more substantial with the addition of grilled chicken or shrimp.

Ingredients:

Serves 6

For the Caesar mayonnaise dressing:
1 Tbs. champagne vinegar
2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1⁄2 tsp. minced garlic
1 egg yolk
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
Dash Worcestershire sauce
6 anchovy fillets (if watching salt intake, rinse and pat dry with paper towels)
pinch freshly ground pepper
1 cup pure olive oil
about 1⁄4-cup crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese
2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 cups loosely packed torn romaine lettuce (about 2 heads)
3⁄4-lb. cooked, shredded chicken or cooked, peeled shrimp (optional)
1 recipe piadine dough
all-purpose flour for dusting work surface
1⁄2-cup roasted garlic paste
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh thyme
6 Tbs. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish (optional)
coarse cornmeal for sprinkling on baking sheets
crumbled Gorgonzola cheese or other blue cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. To make the mayonnaise dressing, put the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, egg yolk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, and pepper in a blender and blend until well mixed.
   
2. With the machine running, add the olive oil, at first by drops and then, as the mixture emulsifies, in a thin, steady stream until all the oil is incorporated.
   
3. Pulse in the Gorgonzola to taste (the riper the cheese, the less you will need) and the Parmesan.
   
4. Scrape into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed. You should have about 1-1⁄3 cups. (The dressing keeps, refrigerated, for 2-3 days.)
   
5. Place 2 large baking sheets in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F.
   
6. Put the lettuce in a bowl with the chicken or shrimp, if using. Pour the dressing over and toss well.
   
7. Divide the dough into 6 equal balls.
   
8. Working on a surface free of flour, roll each ball under your palm. As it rolls, it will stick slightly to the surface, creating tension that helps form a tight, round ball.
   
9. Dust the work surface lightly with the flour, pat each ball down lightly, dust the tops with flour, cover with a tea towel, and let rise again for about 15 minutes.
   
10. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a circle 8-9 inches in diameter and about 1⁄8-inch thick.
    
11. Brush each round with a generous tablespoon of the garlic paste and sprinkle with 1⁄2-teaspoon of the thyme and 1 tablespoon of the
    Parmesan.
    
12. Remove the baking sheets from the oven, sprinkle evenly with cornmeal, and transfer the rounds to the sheets.
    
13. Bake until slightly underdone (they should be lightly browned around the edges, but still pliable), 8 to 12 minutes. Let the crusts cool very briefly before filling.
    
14. Transfer the crusts to plates, top with a large handful of salad, and sprinkle with a small amount of blue cheese, Parmesan, or a mixture of both, if desired. Serve "open face." Diners fold their piadine in half.

• Variation for Caesar Mayonnaise Dressing: Omit the blue cheese. Increase the amount of Parmesan to 3-4 tablespoons, or to taste.

Chef's Note: If you are concerned about raw eggs, use a pasteurized egg product or an egg substitute such as Egg Beaters.