Butternut Squash 'Pizza'

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If you notice, half of this ‘pizza’ is loadddeddd up with fresh mozzarella & salame picante, while the other half is piled high with greens. This is the most perfect example of how everything I cook accommodates the way Davide likes to eat, AND how I need to eat (because trust me…I would loooove some more cheese & spicy meats, but my endo disagrees!). I love experimenting with food, and he loves eating…so it makes me happy that we can find a balance :)

What You’ll Need:

  • 1/2 butternut squash, roasted or steamed (I COOKED IT THE NIGHT BEFORE BECAUSE I KNEW I WOULDN’T HAVE TIME THE NEXT DAY)

  • 200g chickpea flour (yes, this makes it gluten free! but it would also be amazing with tipo ‘0’ flour)

  • 1 bulb of fennel

  • 2 handfuls of valeriana greens (use any kind of sprout if you can’t find valeriana)

  • 1 small ball of fresh mozzarella

  • 4-5 oz fresh salame picante, diced

  • 4-5 grape tomatoes

  • 3-4 heaping spoonfuls of tomato sauce

  • 1 hot pepper, chopped

  • fresh basil

  • S&P qb

Preparation:

Leave the squash in the skin while cooking. It makes it much easier to remove! I baked it covered on 200°C for 20 mins, then shut off the oven and let it continue to cook until completely cool. Once cooled, scoop out the insides into a large bowl or, if you’re a messy chef like me, onto your counter. Gradually add the flour to form a ball of dough. It will not be homogenous unless you use egg, or some sort of binding agent, which I didn’t want to do. *So put a little olive oil on your hands, work the dough onto a lightly oiled sheet pan, flatten it to your desired pizza shape, cover & refrigerate for one hour (optional, but makes for better texture). In the meantime, preheat your oven to 200°C (~400°F). Chop your fennel vertically, and cook on a grill pan/sauté with your favourite herbs & spices. Once your oven in preheated, start baking the squash crust. After about 10-15 minutes, take it out and add your sauce, mozzarella, and salame. Put it back in the oven for about 5 more minutes. Top your ‘pizza’ off with your greens, fennel, hot pepper, and basil. Buon appetito!

Alyssa D'AdamoComment