The Flavors of Fall

Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons. The trees are changing colors, the temperatures start to drop away from the scorching summer heat, and best of all some amazing fruits and vegetables start to come into season. As this transition takes place, there’s no better way to celebrate and prepare for the winter months ahead than a rich, comforting fall-inspired recipe. Since any time of the year is a good time for pizza, we thought felt it’s the perfect time another tasty fall-themed pizza.

Butternut Squash, Mergeza Sausage, Pomegranate and Sage Pizza

One of the tastiest types of squash, butternut squash, is packed with flavor. It’s creamy and sweet which makes it perfect for a number of applications. In this recipe, the squash is roasted then puréed and used as the sauce. Mergeza lamb sausage, fresh pomegranate, and a simple sage “pesto” come together for out of this world sweet/savory flavor profile.

Ingredients

• 1 dough ball, 9 oz.
• ¾ cup shredded mozzarella
• ½ butternut squash, small
• ½ cup cream
• ¼ lb. Mergeza lamb sausage*
• 1 small pomegranate
• 1 bunch sage
• 1 Tbsp. avocado oil
• 2 tsp. grated parmesan
• Olive oil, for cooking

*If you can’t find Mergeza sausage in your location, Italian sausage works well also.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Cut squash in half and remove seeds with a spoon.
3. Brush cut side of squash lightly with olive oil, place on a cookie sheet and roast 45-60 minutes until squash is tender enough to pierce with a spoon.
4. Remove squash from oven and allow to cool.
5. Once cool, scoop the meat from the squash and place into a food processor.
6. Pulse the squash, adding cream as you blend until a sauce like consistency is achieved.
7. Preheat a large sautée pan with 2 Tbsp. olive oil until hot.
8. Break sausage up into small pieces and sear them until just browned on both sides.
9. Place sausage pieces on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
10. Mince sage finely and add to a food processor with avocado oil and parmesan.
11. Pulse 2-3 times until coarsely chopped.
12. Stretch pizza dough and spread squash purée as sauce.
13. Add cheese and sausage and bake pizza until golden brown.
14. Garnish pizza with 2-3 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds and drizzle with sage pesto.