vegetarian pizza

this particular recipe comes from a good friend after having dinner at her house where a pizza-off between her and her husband went down.  while the alternate bbq chicken pizza was almost equally amazing, the roasted squash and caramelized onions won me over!  

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you'll notice from the ingredients this is definitely a ‘trader joes’-fueled pizza (as is 95% of anything i cook...). their pre-made dough's are so convenient, not to mention they come in three delicious crust flavors, including a garlic and herb!  i opted for wheat dough; besides feeling like the ‘healthier’ pizza option, i love the hearty feel and taste of the crust.  as an alternative you can usually buy dough at a local pizza joint, or if you’re feeling super ambitious you can attempt to make your own (as if). i usually load my pizzas with various meats, but this vegetarian combo is just as delicious and less 'guilty' as any other pizza i’ve made!

what you’ll want to pick up:

1 package of wheat dough

1 bag of cubed butter nut squash

1 small red onion

extra virgin olive oil

1/3 c balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp granulated sugar

about 2 c of arugula

1 c light shredded mozzarella cheese

manchego or pecorino to shred over top

salt and pepper to taste

1. cut the cubed squash into quarters, lightly coat with evoo and lay on baking sheet to roast for 45 mins.

2. while squash is roasting, roll out wheat dough on a floured cutting board.

   side note:  I don’t have a pizza stone so I like to pre-cook the dough for about 15 minutes to    maintain a crunchier crust and ensure that it cooks all the way through. Let cool until you layer  on toppings. 

3. cut the red onion into thin slices, cook in a pan on high for 10 minutes; add the balsamic and sugar then turn to low for 30 minutes until the balsamic is reduced and the onions are carmelized.

4. add a handful of arugula, mix and pull off of heat.

5. then, lightly coat the pre-cooked dough with evoo, making sure to get the crust as well (I like grind coarse sea salt on the crust as well!).

6. sprinkle dough with mozzarella, then butternut squash and onion/arugula mixture and top with remaining cheeses.

7. cook according to dough directions or about 20 minutes

 side note: I like to broil for a few extra minutes for extra crisp and golden toppings

pre-oven assembled pizza

8. pull out pizza and top with fresh arugula and salt and pepper to taste!

cooked pizza topped with fresh arugula

i devoured it along with a glass of red.  enjoy!