Butternut Squash Parmesan And Sage Pizzas Recipes

Steps:

• Place squash and water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, covered, on high 15-17 minutes or until tender; drain., Preheat broiler. Transfer squash to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Toss bread crumbs with cheese, salt and pepper; sprinkle over squash. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 1-2 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. If using, place a pizza stone in the oven.
• Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Hold one half on its end, and with a sharp knife, shave the tough peel. Remove the seeds and pith. Set the squash flat side down and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Repeat with the other half, or until you have 2 cups sliced squash.
• Spread the squash out on an oiled baking sheet. Brush it liberally with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until soft. It is okay if the squash is slightly underdone since it will continue to cook on top of the pizza.
• Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees F.
• In a small saute pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to darken, remove the pan from the stove and toss in the garlic, swirling it around to caramelize it. Set aside.
• In another small saute pan, heat the butter over high heat. When it begins to bubble, add the sage leaves and cook for 30 seconds. Watch carefully, the leaves can easily burn. Remove from the butter and drain on a paper towel.
• Dust the pizza pan with cornmeal. Stretch the dough out on the pan, using your fingers to stretch it from the center toward the edges. (Since the dough is very loose and pliable, this takes a little patience.) The middle of the dough will be paper-thin. Brush it liberally with the garlic oil. Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese over the dough. Arrange the squash slices in concentric circles over the cheese, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 mintues. Remove from the oven and top with blue cheese and sage leaves, placing the leaves decoratively on the pizza. Continue baking until the cheese is bubbling and the edges of the crust have browned, 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy.
• In a large bowl, mix together the oil and the salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir well. Slowly add 3 cups of the flour and mix until the dough sticks together but isn't too dry. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead in the remaining 1/2 cup flour, or as much as you need until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. (For a thinner crust, use slightly less flour. The dough will be a little stickier, however.)
• Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and set in a warm place. Let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Divide the dough into two balls. Let rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Proceed according to individual recipe.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500˚ F. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the squash to the skillet and cook until soft and browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Cover an inverted large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Stretch the pizza dough into a 12-inch oval on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to the baking sheet, prick the top with a fork and bake until the dough just begins to turn golden and looks dry, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Mix together the ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, the Parmesan, chopped sage and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Spread on the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with the bacon, squash and sage leaves. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella. Return to the oven and bake until the crust is golden, about 10 minutes. Slide the pizza onto a cutting board, sprinkle with more Parmesan and let stand 5 minutes.
• Toss the arugula in a bowl with the olive oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Slice the pizza and serve with the salad.

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, leeks and garlic and cook them until they are soft.
• Add the vegetable or chicken stock, Parmesan pieces or rinds and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Add the butternut squash, sage, bay leaf, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Cook until the squash is tender (about 10 to 15 minutes).
• Remove the bay leaf and the cheese and puree one quarter of the soup in a food processor and return it to the stock pot (the cheese -- not the rind -- can be crumbled or grated as a garnish for the soup). Heat through and correct seasoning. Garnish the soup with scallions and serve. Pass the freshly grated Parmesan separately.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash and garlic on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss well and roast until the squash is very tender, 30 to 35 minutes, tossing twice throughout. While the squash roasts, bring a large pot of water to boil.
• Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium. When the oil is hot, add the sage and cook, tossing often, until the leaves begin to crisp, about 1 minute. Add the walnuts and a generous sprinkle of salt and cook, tossing often, until the sage leaves are lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage and nuts to a paper towel-lined plate and wipe out the skillet. Let the mixture drain for 1 minute, then add it to a small bowl with the lemon zest; toss lightly and set aside.
• Working in batches if necessary, transfer the roasted squash and garlic to a blender or food processor, along with 1 cup stock, and blend until smooth and thick. The consistency should be somewhere between a purée and a thick soup. Add more stock as needed, if it seems too thick.
• Transfer the puréed squash to the reserved skillet and keep warm over very low heat. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water, along with 1 tablespoon salt, and cook until al dente. Just before draining, ladle 1/2 cup pasta water into a measuring cup and set aside.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta evenly, then, off the heat, add the 1/2 cup Parmesan and toss until the cheese is incorporated. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide the pasta among shallow bowls and sprinkle the sage, walnut and lemon zest mixture on top, and serve with extra Parmesan on the side.