While I happily cook all year round, I can feel the warmth in the evenings as we slowly begin to embrace fall. Over the years, it’s been a time for me to make a lot of pizza, and this squash pizza epitomizes the true joy of fall.
Kabocha squash Pizza
If you’re not familiar with it, kabocha is a gorgeous variety of Japanese winter squash. It has green and orange skins, both of which are edible (this squash makes it great for recipes like pizza).
Fun fact: Squash grows all summer long and makes a wonderful fall harvest gift to use in the colder months. For this reason, I use squash as a transition vegetable to get through the transition from summer to fall and often combine it with summer or fall produce.
Squash options
Can’t find Kabocha? This pizza is just as good. delicate Or Red is on Squash (both species do not require peeling). You can also use peeled spiced squash or omit the squash entirely and use roasted potatoes. There are so many ways to make this pizza!
Make it vegan
Swap your favorite béchamel for dairy-free milk and lots of garlic. Top with your favorite vegan mozzarella cheese, or keep the cheese and make a salad pizza with lightly dressed arugula.
Plants
I like fresh herbs like dill for this squash pizza, but you can keep it a little under the rain. Paprika oil (I prefer rosemary-garlic-paprika oil).
Pizza dough
While I have instructions on how to make pizza dough, I’m using the recipe. Alexandra Stafford’s Pizza Night As of late. The dough is beautiful and works well with the pizza oven. Plus, if you’re into pizza like I am, the book has tons more inspiration!
Pizza
- Pizza dough (Makes enough for a 1.12 inch cake)
- Powder for dusting
- 3 Oz 90 grams of torn or chopped mozzarella cheese
- Dil to finish
- Olive oil to finish
White garlic cream
- 1/4 Cup 65 g heavy cream
- 1 6 g of garlic
- 1/2 Tea spoon Kosher salt
Kabocha
- 4 oz 114 g of kabocha pumpkin
- 1 A spoonful of soup Sunflower oil
- Salt
-
Preheat the oven or grill (whichever you prefer for cooking pizza) and let the pizza dough rest at room temperature by preheating and preparing it.
-
To make garlic cream; Place the cream in a small oven on medium heat and rub the garlic into the cream on the microplane. Add a little salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until the cream has thickened slightly and reduced to about 3 tablespoons cream, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
-
To cook the pumpkin: Cut the squash into ¼” thick slices. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat, using a fan if you have one. Add the onion slices in a single layer. Fry on one side until browned mostly, and repeat. Watch the squash closely – it cooks quickly over high heat. Once both sides are hot, deglaze the pan and fry until browned.
-
To make pizza: Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, place on a floured pizza peel, and spread the garlic cream over the dough. Top the cooked squash with mozzarella cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown and cooked through. (Cooking time depends on the pizza method you choose).
-
To finish the pizza: After the pizza is cooked, sprinkle with enough dill to keep it happy and finish with olive oil before serving.