A generous neighbor gave me a butternut squash from her garden the other day. I love butternut squash and usually use it in soup, but I was craving something a little more substantial that evening (ok, was craving pizza). I had beets, the last of my garden sage, and a little container of Blue Ledge Farm Maple Chevre sitting in the fridge. Here’s the result. Pizza craving satisfied.
Butternut and Beet Pizza
Special equipment: pizza peel and pizza stone
Author: Lisa Cassell-Arms
Ingredients
- ½ medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into ½ inch cubes (about 1 cups)
- 2 small beets, peeled and chopped into ½ inch cubes (about ½ cup)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 small shallots, peeled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 16 oz store bought ball of pizza dough (used local dough from Cucina Antica-yum)
- 3 tablespoons maple chèvre (or plain goat cheese)
- ⅓ cup fresh mozzarella, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place butternut squash and beets on a roasting pan. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, maple syrup and salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes, until squash and beets are tender and golden. Set aside.
- In a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then add shallots with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently until shallots are soft and begin to caramelize. Reduce heat if they are browning to quickly. Set aside.
- Place pizza stone in the oven.
- Sprinkle peel with cornmeal. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour on the counter and roll out the pizza dough until it is thin and even and will just fit onto the peel. Place the rolled out dough on the peel. Distribute the squash, beets and onions evenly on top.
- Sprinkle with crumbled maple chèvre, mozzarella and chopped sage. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Slide pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for approx 20 - 25 minutes until the pizza crust is cooked throughout, browned on the edges and the topping is bubbling.
- Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before cutting.
- Serve topped with arugula tossed with your favorite vinaigrette.
- Serves 4
