Caramelized onion and gruyere pull apart buns

Directions

Caramelized Onions

1. You’ll want to use a relatively large stainless steel pan for this - 12 inches works best, so the onions have plenty of room to work their magic. Heat oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to glisten, add the onions and season with salt.
2. Cook the onions for about three minutes without stirring. At this point, the onions will have begun to soften. Stir the onions well and then let them cook for another three minutes, undisturbed. Continue doing this until all the onions have developed colour, about 20 minutes.
3. Turn the heat down to low and cook for an additional 40 minutes, occasionally stirring to ensure the onions don’t burn. At this point, the onions will be beautifully caramelized and almost ready. Add balsamic vinegar and stir to incorporate. Remove the pan from heat, season with a touch more salt, and set it aside.

Buns 

1. Lightly grease a 10-inch cast iron pan and set it aside. Pinch off a golf ball-sized piece of the pizza dough and flatten it in your hands.
2. Place about a tablespoon or so of the onions (reserve one-quarter cup for topping) and a sprinkling of the cheese in the center of the dough. Bring the sides of the dough together to cover the fillings and form the dough into a ball. Place the bun, seam side down, into the cast iron pan and continue until the pan is filled with buns. Cover the buns with a kitchen towel and let them rise for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. While the buns are rising, add melted butter and thyme to a small bowl and mix to combine and preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Just before you are about to bake the buns, brush them with the butter mixture and bake for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and sprinkle the tops with reserved onions and cheese, and place them back into the hot oven for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted. Enjoy!