it is pumpkin week at food network so...pizza with spicy pumpkin sauce, black beans and fresh corn?

it is pumpkin week at fall fest and i decided to NOT do pumpkin pie...or bread, or pancakes, or pudding, or anything sweet with pumpkin pie spice. now don't get me wrong. i love pumpkin pie. plain old pumpkin pie...without any embellishments or "fancy foodie" tweaks. with almost anything else i am game to experiment...but pumpkin pie is perfect as is. and there are plenty of resources out there for the basic pumpkin puree, eggs, evaporated milk, sugar and spices recipe. why post another? but i don't often see recipes for savory dishes using pumpkin...and this is wrong people...wrong!

pumpkin is perfect as a substitute for other winter squashes...it has a hint of natural sweetness that is wonderful with so many dishes. think about curried pumpkin soup...or pumpkin and sage stuffed ravioli in a brown butter sauce. maybe pumpkin chili with pinto beans, tomatoes and green chili peppers. stuffed mini pumpkins with sausage and rice? pumpkin risotto? all really good, but today i am going back to pie...albeit pizza pie. ( i never say pizza pie, but this segue was just too good to resist! ) how does pizza with spicy pumpkin sauce and topped with fresh corn, black beans, onions and cheese sound? trust me, this recipe is delicious.

pumpkins are delicious and healthy. they are low in calories, high in the antioxidant beta-carotene (which is believed to help reduce the risk of developing cancer and heart disease), high in fiber and high in vitamin a. they are really easy to cook and i encourage everyone to buy a fresh pumpkin, roast and use in recipes. canned is fine in a pinch, but nothing beats fresh. just an fyi...the big pumpkins everyone uses for their halloween jack-o lanterns are not suitable for cooking...they become really tough and stringy...so look for sugar pumpkins, or any other kind that are specifically grown for cooking. check out a local farmer's market for interesting and different options.

Pumpkin Nutrition Facts
(1 cup cooked, boiled, drained, without salt)
Calories 49                      Protein 2 grams
Carbohydrate 12 grams    Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Calcium 37 mg                 Iron 1.4 mg
Magnesium 22 mg            Potassium 564 mg
Zinc 1 mg                        Selenium .50 mg
Vitamin C 12 mg             Niacin 1 mg
Folate 21 mcg                 Vitamin A 2650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg

so, back to the pizza. i love everything about the southwest...the architecture, the people, the weather, the art...but most especially the food. we visit taos, new mexico often and i am always inspired by the use of corn, beans, squash and chili in their cooking. i decided the combination would work really well on a pizza. the spicy pumpkin sauce contains fresh pumpkin puree (although you can use canned in a pinch), onions green pepper, garlic, red chilies, sage and a bit of milk to smooth everything out. this is cooked down, mixed in a food processor and then spread on top on my favorite homemade extra virgin olive oil pizza dough. this sauce is also really good thinned down with additional milk and tossed with hot pasta and topped with cheese and pepitas. speaking of pepitas (pumpkin seeds). you can buy them, but it is very easy to make them yourself. use the seeds from your sugar pumpkins or from that jack-o lantern. try this recipe from martha stewart living. you can use these spicy pepitas or just plain roasted and salted ones on your pasta or pizza. the pizza crust is easy, fast and bakes up light and crunchy. it contains extra virgin olive oil and a touch of honey. i make this recipe all the time. it can be topped with whatever you like...but today, i encourage you to try the pumpkin recipe. adjust the topping ingredient quantities to suit your taste and, please, let me know what you think.

happy pumpkin week everyone!

pizza with spicy pumpkin sauce, black beans and fresh corn

extra virgin olive oil pizza crust
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
pinch sea salt
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
spicy pumpkin sauce (see below)
toppings(see below)


add water to bowl of upright mixer and sprinkle yeast over top. using the paddle attachment, mix until yeast has dissolved. add salt, olive oil and honey and mix to combine. add white flour and process just until incorporated. add the whole wheat flour and process until incorporated. process an additional minute until the dough has formed into a ball. do not over mix. remove dough from bowl, form into a smooth ball and place in an oiled bowl. turn dough a few times to ensure it is totally covered in oil, cover bowl with saran wrap and place in a warm area. allow to rise until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.

remove from bowl and place on a lightly floured counter. use a rolling pin to roll out dough in a circle. the dough should be about 1/2 inch thick. place on pizza stone or baking sheet which has been lightly oiled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with coarse cornmeal. (the cornmeal adds a delicious flavor and helps ensure the pizza dough will not stick to pan.)


preheat oven to 500 degrees. ladle 1 cup of spicy pumpkin sauce over top of prepared pizza dough. spread over pizza leaving 1 inch of space around edge of dough. add additional sauce if you like it a bit more "saucy". i use almost 2 cups on my pizza. sprinkle corn, black beans, the sliced red onions and cheese over sauce. top with the sage leaves and pepitas. drizzle chili infused oil over pizza, including the "naked" crust edges. use a pastry brush to cover the naked crust with oil. sprinkle a pinch or two of coarse grey salt over pizza and place in preheated oven. bake for 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling. slice and serve immediately


spicy pumpkin sauce
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, 1/2 chopped, 1/2 sliced
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin...not pumpkin pie mix)
4-5 leaves fresh sage
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 pinches aglio, olio, peperoncino (or 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes)
1/2 cup milk (i use unsweetened almond milk)
sea salt
black pepper


warm olive oil in medium sized saucepan. add the chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic a pinch of sea salt and sauté until vegetables are tender, approx 10 minutes. add pumpkin puree, sage, thyme and aglio. cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. place mixture in food processor and process until smooth. add back to pot, add milk and stir well. add another pinch of sea salt and one of black pepper. taste and adjust seasonings. set aside

toppings
1 cup fresh corn, from 1 ear (or organic frozen corn, thawed)
1 cup black beans
the sliced red onions from pumpkin sauce recipe
1/2 cup shredded parmigiano-reggiano cheese
handful toasted pepitas
small handful fresh sage leaves
red chili infused extra virgin olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes
coarse grey sea salt

now it is your turn to participate in fall fest. simply leave your pumpkin tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit food network and do the same same. join the conversation on twitter at #cookingwith and be sure to check out these delicious sounding recipes from the other participating bloggers:
What's Gaby Cooking: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
The Cultural Dish: Pumpkin Waffles
Cooking With Elise: Pumpkin Chip Scones
And Love It Too: Creamy Pumpkin Fruit Dip
CIA Dropout: Pumpkin Panna Cotta With Gingerbread
Haute Apple Pie Girls: Pumpkin Bread Parfait
I Am Mommy: Pumpkin Pancakes
Dishin and Dishes: Maple Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Virtually Homemade: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins With Pumpkin Seed Streusel
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Pumpkin Pizza
Daydreamer Desserts: Pumpkin Fattigman
From My Corner of Saratoga: Baking Pie In The Pumpkin
 FN Dish: The Ultimate Pumpkin Soup
Cooking Channel: Pumpkin Risotto
The Sensitive Epicure: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Molasses Marshmallows
Daily*Dishin: Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake
ZaikaZabardast: Pumpkin Jalebi
Mooshu Jenne: Pumpkin Nutella Bread
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Loaf

best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885
"live a green life of style™ "

do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page


to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...