Butternut Squash Pizza

This recipe is simple, the slighest bit sweet and perfect for a lighter meal. Take advantage of butternut squash when it's in season early fall through winter. You can make the pizza crust from scratch or use a ready-made one instead. The crust recipe is super easy and you can get the pizza toppings ready while it rises.

Serves 4-6
Total time (with crust): 1 hour
Goes well with green salad

Ingredients for crust:
2 t. active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 t. if cooking below 3500 ft. altitude)
1 c. warm water
3 c. flour (or 2 3/4 c. flour if cooking below 3500 ft. altitude)
1 t. salt
1/4 t. sugar
2 T. olive oil

Ingredients for topping:
1-2 thinly sliced yellow onion(s)
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
1 T. chopped fresh rosemary, you can use dry rosemary but it's not as good
salt & pepper
3 T. olive oil, divided
1/4 c. asiago or parmesan cheese

Directions:
For crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add yeast to warm water and let sit for 5-10 min. Mix dry ingredients together, then add olive oil. Add yeast and water mixture to dry ingredients and knead together for 3-5 minutes. Place in bowl and cover with clean kitchen towel. Let sit in warm place for 30-45 min.

For topping: While crust is rising, prepare the topping. Place onion and squash in 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt & pepper and 2 T. of the olive oil; toss to coat. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 min. (it's ok if they're not fully tender yet, you will cook them some more once you place them on the pizza crust).

For completion of pizza: Turn oven temp. up to 450. When dough has doubled in size, roll out and place on pizza pan (or cookie sheet). Distribute squash mixture over the uncooked pizza shell and bake for 15-18 min. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1 T. olive oil and cheese. Cut and serve.