Squash, Kale and Bacon Pizza
A fall-inspired pizza filled with all of the colours and flavours of the season.
See more from Stephanie Kay at www.kaynutrition.com
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 7/8 cup (200 grams) lukewarm water (105°F - 115°F)
- 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) olive oil
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 6 slices of bacon
- 1 cup kale, roughly chopped
- 1 cup mozzarella, fresh, shredded
- 1 cup fontina cheese, shredded
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sage, fresh or dried
- ½ teaspoon crushed pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by making the crust. In a small bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast, with a pinch of sugar or drizzle of honey, in 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, until the mixture has bubbled and expanded.
- In a separate bowl, add flour and salt and mix to combine. Once ready, add the dissolved yeast, olive oil, and mix and knead to combine – by hand or with a stand mixer – until you’ve made a soft smooth dough. Be careful not to over-knead the dough: it should barely clean the sides of the bowl and hold together, but can still look fairly rough on the surface.
- Once kneaded, place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise until puffy and roughly doubled in volume, about 90 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the toppings. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- On a baking sheet, add butternut squash, sage, 1½ tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the squash is just tender and can be pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron pan or heavy bottom skillet to medium-high heat, add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Once cooled, chop into bite-size pieces.
- In a medium bowl, add chopped kale, remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Using your hands, massage the olive oil into the kale until tender. Set aside.
- When the dough is ready, begin to make the pizza. Remove dough from the bowl, transfer to a floured surface and divide the dough in half, for two pizzas; or leave it whole for one pizza. Shape the dough into a ball(s) and allow to rest for another 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. If you are using a pizza stone, warm it at this time.
- Once the dough has rested, on a lightly floured surface, using your hands, shape the dough into desired shape and thickness. If using a pizza stone, shape them on a floured peel. If using baking sheets, shape them on floured baking sheet.
- Once shaped, cover the dough with tomato sauce, roasted butternut squash, massaged kale, cooked bacon, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and a mixture of shredded cheese.
- Transfer the pizza into the preheated oven, on a pizza stone or a baking sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Keep a watchful eye to ensure it does not burn.
- Once cooked, removed from the oven, top with a drizzle of honey and sprinkle of parmesan cheese to serve.