This squash, sage, and pumpkin butter pizza feels like the most midwest fall thing ever. It’s cozy, it’s got a little bit of sweetness, and the colors are so, so pretty.
When I posted this pizza on instagram last week you all went bananas. You wanted the details and you wanted them yesterday. Well, here they are!
The crust in this recipe is not as difficult as it sounds, but I also will not judge if you decide to just go with a store-bought crust. Trader Joe’s has some great options! Although the sourdough crust is heavenly, the toppings are where this pizza really shines. Feel free to swap the delicata squash with another type of squash— I just like the look of these delicata rounds — like little flowers. The blue cheese is optional, but I highly recommend it. If you’re feeling extra wild you could drizzle a little hot honey over the pizza and I know it would be delicious.
Onto the recipe.
Squash, Sage, + Pumpkin Butter Pizza on a Sourdough Pizza Crust
Crust recipe adapted from King Arthur Baking Company
Makes 1 large pizza
The Crust:
1 cup sourdough starter, unfed/discard
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons water, lukewarm
2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
The toppings:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, diced
1/4 cup pumpkin butter
2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 small delicata squash, sliced thinly into rounds
6 ounces of prosciutto, thinly sliced
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
16-20 fresh sage leaves
crushed red pepper flakes, optional
salt
For the crust:
Stir any liquid on top of your refrigerated starter back into it before measuring 1 cup into a large mixing bowl.
To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In your stand mixer, combine the water, the flour, salt, yeast, and sourdough starter.
Mix to combine. Knead for about 7 minutes using a stand mixer with its dough hook, until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl.
Place the dough in a lightly greased container, cover, and let rise until almost doubled in bulk. This will depend your starter, but it can be anywhere form 2-4 hours. For a faster rise, place the dough in a warm spot.
For a thicker, large pizza: Oil an 18" x 13" half-sheet pan. Place the dough in the pan and press it out to the edges, again giving it a 15-minute rest before continuing if it starts to snap back.
Cover the pan and let the dough rise until it's as thick as you like.
While you’re waiting for the dough to rise go ahead and roast the squash and cook the onions.
Roast the Squash: Place the thinly sliced delicata rounds on a baking sheet. Drizzle the squash with a few pinches of salt. Roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until the squash rounds are softened. Once they are soft remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Cook the Onions: Heat the olive oil in a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add in the diced red onions and allow to cook until they are nice and soft. This will take about 5 minutes. Once they are soft, set aside to cool until you are ready to assemble the pizza.
Assemble the pizza:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is preheating begin layering the toppings. First, spread the pumpkin butter in a nice thin layer on the crust leaving about a 1/2 inch border all around the crust. Then spread the onions, mozzerella, cheddar, and blue cheese. Finish off the pizza with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but I like the spicy contrast to the sweet pumpkin butter), sage leaves, squash, and prosciutto. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Then, enjoy!
