Pumpkin Pizza

[writerpatrick]

Pumpkin Pizza

Here's a recipe for pizza that's ideal for Halloween parties. It's also good for those who have trouble with nightshade plants (like tomatoes and peppers) and acidic foods. Surprisingly, it can taste close enough to regular pizza that some might not realize it's not a regular pizza or think you've used green tomatoes.

Note that I have made this without exact measures so some the exact amount needed may vary. Use your judgment. This is quite an easy recipe although dough making may take a little experience.

If you're not comfortable making your own dough you can buy it. But this dough recipe is fairly simple and doesn't require exact ingredients.

Pizza dough:

Any dough will do, although for a simple quick-bread dough, ( for one pizza):

2-3 cups flour (white, whole wheat or other, as preferred)
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons oil (regular or olive) (optional, if not being frozen)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder (optional, to add extra leavening)

Mix all ingredients together until flour is fully incorporated. More or less flour may be used depending upon how wet the dough is. The dough should be dry enough to be handled without sticking too much to the hands. Wet dough will be hard to spread out but dry dough may not spread well.

Oil is optional if the pizza is to be cooked right away, although it is recommended if the pizza is to be frozen as the crust can get too dry. Baking powder helps to add fluffiness to dough.

Multiply ingredients according to the number of pizzas desired. (Since it's quick-bread you can make more right away if needed.) Ingredients can easily be increased or reduced depending upon the size of the pizza.

Sauce:

A pound of flesh from a Jack-O-Lantern's corpse (aka pumpkin)
Three fungus heads (aka mushrooms)
2 tablespoons Oregano (dried)
2-3 cloves of the herb vampires hate (aka garlic)
A large cooked and peeled carrot (optional)

Pre-cook raw pumpkin to soften. Canned pumpkin could be used (I've never tried it) but freshly cooked or frozen is best.

Roughly chop mushrooms and carrot if used. Peel and chop garlic.

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until well mixed. Pre-cutting mushrooms, carrot and garlic isn't essential but it does help them to blend better. If sauce seems too thick when blending add water.

To help flavors blend, Cook sauce for five to ten minutes, stirring occasionally. This step can be skipped if you're in a hurry, provided the pumpkin has been well cooked beforehand.

The carrot may seem like an odd ingredient but it adds color and texture to the sauce, although isn't necessary. Cooking it first allows it to blend better.

Toppings:
mozzarella cheese (shredded or grated)
cheddar cheese (shredded or grated)
Other toppings as desired, although may topping that work on tomato pizzas may not taste the same on pumpkin pizza.

Pizza:
Spread out dough onto lubricated or non-stick pans and pre-bake at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. Rolling pin can be used to help spread out dough, although the back of a spoon can also be used when pressing out dough.

Spread pumpkin sauce to edges of pizza. Add toppings and cheese.

Bake for 10-15 minutes at 450 degrees until crust is a desired brown. Watch edges for burning.

Leftover sauce will freeze well and can be used as a pasta sauce, although may be a bit mild for whole-wheat pastas.

Sauce recipe is designed for about 4 pizzas but extra sauce can be stored. It can also be used as a tomato sauce substitute, but has a milder and slightly sweeter quality so it's better with white pastas than whole wheat pastas.

Pizzas also freeze well. If making as a frozen pizza then assemble the pizzas and wrap in cellophane. Unwrap and bake for 15-20 minutes until crust is a desired brown. Frozen pizzas may be a little crispier than freshly baked pizzas (hence the need for the oil). I have kept the sauce frozen for at least a month, although it can loose flavor over time, especially in the strength of the garlic.

[whatsername90]

Sounds delicious!

[becky666]

love pumpkin and pizza so going to try this