Pizza With Blue Cheese Butternut Squash And Fried Sage Leaves Food

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CARAMELIZED ONION PIZZA WITH GORGONZOLA AND CRISPY FRIED SAGE

Steps:

• Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil.
• Roast the squash in a preheated 350F/180C oven until tender, about 30-40 minutes and set aside.
• Heat the oil and melt the butter in a pan.
• Add the onion and cook on low until caramelized, about 40-60 minutes.
• Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a pan.
• Add the sage leaves and saute until crispy, about 2-3 minutes.
• Spread the onions over the pizza dough followed by the butternut squash and the cheeses.
• Bake in a preheated 500F/260C oven until golden brown on top, about 5-10 minutes.
• Place the sage leaves on top.

SAGE AND SQUASH PIZZA WITH BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500˚ F. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the squash to the skillet and cook until soft and browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Cover an inverted large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Stretch the pizza dough into a 12-inch oval on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to the baking sheet, prick the top with a fork and bake until the dough just begins to turn golden and looks dry, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Mix together the ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, the Parmesan, chopped sage and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Spread on the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with the bacon, squash and sage leaves. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella. Return to the oven and bake until the crust is golden, about 10 minutes. Slide the pizza onto a cutting board, sprinkle with more Parmesan and let stand 5 minutes.
• Toss the arugula in a bowl with the olive oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Slice the pizza and serve with the salad.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, PARMESAN, AND SAGE PIZZAS

Steps:

• Make pizza dough:
• In a large bowl stir together water and yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and salt and blend until mixture forms a dough, adding additional tablespoon water if too dry. On a lightly floured surface knead dough about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. (Alternatively, dough may be made in a standing electric mixer. In bowl of mixer make dough as described above. With dough hook knead dough about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.)
• Put dough in a very lightly oiled deep bowl, turning to coat, and let rise, covered loosely, in a warm place 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. Punch down dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. Dough keeps, each piece put in a small, sealable plastic bag and sealed, pressing out excess air, chilled overnight or frozen 2 weeks. If dough is frozen, thaw overnight in refrigerator before using. Makes enough dough for four 12- by 6-inch oval pizzas.
• Make the pizza:
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• In a bowl toss squash with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Spread squash in one layer in a shallow baking pan and roast in middle of oven, stirring once halfway through roasting, 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove pan from oven and loosen squash with a metal spatula. Squash may be roasted 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• In a medium heavy saucepan stir together milk and flour and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Simmer sauce, stirring, 2 minutes and stir in nutmeg and salt to taste. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Increase temperature to 500°F.
• On a work surface sprinkled with 1 teaspoon cornmeal roll out 1 piece of dough into a 12- by 6-inch oval and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cornmeal and dough, ending up with 2 ovals on each of 2 baking sheets.
• Spread sauce on dough ovals, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge of each pizza, and sprinkle with Parmesan, squash, chopped sage, garlic, and pepper.
• Bake pizzas in lower and middle thirds of oven 15 minutes, or until crusts are crisp and pale golden. Garnish pizzas with sage sprigs.