Pumpkin

    Pizza-zz

 

 

Pumpkin Dough

1 cup warm water

2 tablespoons sugar

1 package Fleischmann’s pizza crust yeast 

1 cup pumpkin puree

3-4 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons salt

 

Place warm water and sugar in a large mixing bowl and mix until dissolved.  Add yeast and place in a warm spot covered with a hand towel.  Let sit 10 minutes until yeast becomes foamy.  Mix in pumpkin puree.  In a separate bowl, add flour and salt and mix well.  Gradually add flour to yeast, mixing well.  Add enough flour until dough is no longer sticky and is workable.  Turn the dough onto a clean lightly floured surface and knead a few times.  Place dough in a lightly oiled (olive oil) bowl, cover with hand towel and set in a warm area until dough doubles in size.  About one hour.  Once dough has risen, turn out onto floured surface and cut in half.  Shape dough into balls and flatten.  Make an outer edge around dough by pressing down with your fingers and flattening the center.  Stretch out dough by lifting up and letting the weight pull it down, twisting as you go.  If you prefer a thinner crust, roll out your dough with a rolling pin.  

 

Sauce

5 ripe yellow tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped sweet onion

3/4 tablespoon chopped rosemary

4 garlic cloves sliced

3 large basil leaves shredded 

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

Shredded Italian cheese mixture

Shredded Mozzarella

 

Boil some water in a large pot deep enough to cover tomatoes.  Cut and x in the bottom of each tomato and drop each in bowling water for 30 seconds.  Remove, let cool and peel off skins.  Slice tomatoes in half and scrape out seeds using a small spoon.  Chop tomatoes and set aside.  Heat olive oil over medium in a large saute pan and add onion.  Cook for about 4-5 minutes.  Add rosemary and garlic and and continue cooking another 2-3 minutes being careful not to burn garlic.  Add tomatoes, pumpkin puree, sugar and salt and continue cooking.  Bring to a simmer reducing heat if necessary.  Cook an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool a little.  Place in a food processor or blender, add basil and pulse until smooth.  

Place dough on a pizza pan or use a deep dish pizza stone if you have one.  Spoon sauce onto dough and top with shredded cheeses.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Let cool, serve.  

Notes: 1. Depending on tomato ripeness and size you may want to taste test for sugar and salt seasoning.  2. Add chopped cooked pork sausage for a meaty pizza.  3. Serve with your favorite Octoberfest brew.