Spicy Sausage, Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pizza topped with Sauteed Sage and Garlic

Who doesn't love pizza? I can say with all honesty that I have never yet in my life met a person who has told me, "Ew, I'm not into pizza." There is something about the chewy comfort of the crust, the melty gooeyness of the cheese, and the sweet spiciness of a sprinkling of toppings that really feeds the soul, you know? Furthermore, anyone can feel successful making pizza. If baking is a science, then cooking is an art - and there is no better food to get artistic with than pizza. Layer! Load! Experiment!

Since it is now officially autumn, hard squash has become the new star in my kitchen. Butternut, acorn, pumpkin, delicata - it's all inspiration for fall-flavored dishes. My squash obsession has rendered some pretty interesting entrees in ghosts of kitchen past, but never so interesting as the pizza which I made for this post. Lightly oiled and roasted butternut squash, sweet caramelized onions, spicy sausage, white cheddar cheese, and crispy sage and garlic come together over a beer-flavored crust in this recipe. My husband loved it so much that I had to sneak a piece away so I'd have lunch the next day before he ate it all.

Inspiration for this recipe found at Oh My Veggies. 

Ingredients:

• Premade pizza dough ball (I used Portland Pie Company's Beer Dough-way better than my homemade!)
• 1/2 butternut squash
• 3-4 tbs olive oil
• 1 large onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 sausage links (removed from casings)
• Fresh sage
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel and halve butternut squash, then chop into small cubes. You will only need half of the squash - I cut up the other half and put it in the fridge for the next night's meal.  Then, put into a  9 x 11" baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Shake to make sure all the squash is evenly coated. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes. 
2. Now it's time to caramelize the onions. Chop the onion in thin slices and cook in 2 tbs olive oil over low heat in a covered saute pan for one hour. Stir occasionally until onions begin to brown, then stir more frequently to avoid burning. 
3. While the onions and squash cook, brown sausage in a small pan over medium-low heat. Set aside.
4. In another small pan, saute the sage and garlic until just crispy. Set aside. 
   
5. Use a rolling pin to roll out the pizza dough over a pizza stone. Brush lightly with olive oil. When the squash and onions are cooked, top the dough with cheese, sausage, onion, and squash. Then add a little more cheese - why the heck not? Cook for 18 - 20 minutes.
6. Before serving, top pizza with the sage and garlic. Then, bon apetit! 
   

This pizza is so good, I think I could eat it at least 3 nights in a row. The roasted squash and caramelized onions are totally worth the extra TLC they require to make this pie truly incredible. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Eat well, always,

Deidre