Butternut Squash Pizza with Hazelnut Crust

This pizza has so many delicious fall flavors. The fresh sage and butternut squash not only look lovely but taste so yummy with the sharpness of the pecorino and the nuttiness of the hazelnuts. Of course you can change the toppings up to suit your taste. Pears and camembert would be wonderful as would wild mushrooms with leeks.

This is a great recipe, easy enough for any weeknight, that both kids and adults will love.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Pizza with Hazelnut Crust:

Yields 2, 9" pizzas

For the Hazelnut Dough:

2 TB extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl

1 cup warm water (110 degrees)

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (one, 1/4 oz packet)

2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup roasted hazelnut meal
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

pinch salt

1) Stir together the water and the yeast in a large bowl. Let stand until bloomed, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in oil. Add flours, hazelnut meal, xanthan, and salt. Stir until dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead with floured hands until smooth and elastic.

2) Transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic and place in a warm & draft free spot, until doubled in size. This should take about 1 hour. Divide into 2 balls.

For the Pizza:

Yields 2

1 small butternut squash, peeled and very thinly sliced

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

2 TB fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced

2 TB toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

2 TB extra virgin olive oil

coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment (or foil).

2) Roll 1 ball of dough into a 9" round. Transfer to baking sheet and brush with 1 TB olive oil.

3) Arrange 1/2 of the squash on top, followed by 1/2 of the pecorino, and 1/2 of the sage, leaving a border around the edges. Bake for about 9 minutes until crust is golden and the squash is tender. Garnish with toasted hazelnuts and season to taste with salt & pepper.

4) Repeat with remaining dough.

*Adapted from Martha Stewart Living