Butternut Squash and Sage Pizza

This is a white pizza that goes well with a hearty soup or a salad.  If you have leftover roasted butternut squash, this is an incredibly quick weeknight meal.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

½  ball of pizza dough (Whole Foods or any other store brand white, thawed if frozen)

1-2 t. olive oil

½ cup  whole milk ricotta cheese (mascarpone can be substituted if you can’t find a good ricotta)

6 oz. of thinly sliced cooked butternut squash (if you need to make this, take a peeled half butternut squash, slice into 1 ½” half moons, coat with oil, season with salt and roast in a 375% oven–a toaster oven will do–until tender, about 30 minutes).

3-4 oz. mozzarella, cut into thin half moons (about half a baseball sized fresh mozzarella) or you can substitute shredded mozzarella

4-6 good large sage leaves, sliced lengthwise and then across very thinly

2-3 T. parmigian, grated

Black pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the one to 425 degrees.
2. On a lightly floured surface with hands and a roller that are also floured, roll the dough into a disc until it won’t continue to stretch, cover with a piece of foil and let rest for 5 minutes or so.
3. While the dough is resting, shred the mozzarella, slice the sage leaves and grate the parmigiana.
4. Re-roll the dough to make a large oval.  Cover again and let rest for anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Take a cookie sheet or baking pan and lightly grease with the olive oil.
6. Roll the dough one more time and transfer to the cookie sheet.  Reshape and spread the dough with your hands to achieve the thickness of crust you like best.  (I prefer a medium thin crust for this pizza.)
7. Spread the ricotta thinly over the dough, working to make it even using the back of a large spoon.
8. Arrange the slices of squash on top of the ricotta.
9. Intersperse mozzarella slices with the squash.  (If using shredded mozzarella, sprinkle evenly over the top.
10. Sprinkle the shredded sage over the squash and mozzarella and then sprinkle the parmigian over all. Top with a good grinding of black pepper.
11. Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden and the cheeses are melted and just beginning to take on color.