This post is sponsored by DeLallo.
There is never a time of day when pizza doesn’t sound good. Breakfast? Sure! Don’t even bother heating it. Lunch? Absolutely. Dinner? Of course. Cold or hot, with or without sauce…even when the toppings aren’t my favorite, it’d be hard to find fault in a cheesy, doughy pie.
But for too long, I was a scrooge about making pizza at home. I blame it on a few failed attempts that resulted in soggy pizza with gummy dough and overpoweringly yeast-y flavor. And making dough was no day at the beach. Lackluster pizzas were always doubly disappointing knowing what a time-consuming hassle the dough was. Thankfully, I found a solution this year that restored my faith in the homemade pizza. It allowed me to start making beauties like this butternut squash pizza with prosciutto, herbed ricotta and sage.
The solution: taking some help from DeLallo.
The DeLallo Pizza Dough Kit is foolproof, and I really needed that. The package contains everything you need to make a truly great dough: yeast, to help it rise, and type “00” flour, a specialty Italian flour that comes from high quality wheat that’s milled to a superfine texture, creating the perfect elasticity for pizza dough. From one kit, you can choose to make 4 10-inch thin, crispy crusts or 2 thicker, chewier crusts (that’s what I did here).
The great thing about it—aside from the perfect crispy/chewy dough turn-out every time—is that you can keep it in your pantry for quite a while. So whenever you’re in the mood for pizza, flatbreads, calzones, focaccia, you’ve got your dough kit ready.
There are endless combinations of sauces, cheeses, veggies, and meats to make a pizza complete—and I have too many favorites to list. One thing I love to do is play with seasonal ingredients, like I did here with fall flavors. This pizza has so much flavor I don’t know where to begin. There’s sweet, nutty, roasted butternut squash, aromatic sage leaves, dollops of creamy herbed ricotta, savory prosciutto, DeLallo Sliced Truffled Mushrooms (an IN-SANELY flavorful marinated mushroom. You have to try them), and a drizzle of syrupy sweet DeLallo Balsamic Glaze.
The flavors going on here are rich and luxurious. Every ingredient complements the next, for the right balance of sweet, savory, creamy, crisp. There’s no other way to say it than—it’s perfect. I chose to make 2 thick crust pies, but I’m thinking this would make a great thin-crusted flatbread to serve as an appetizer for fall parties and holidays.
Here’s exactly how I made it!
Butternut Squash Pizza with Prosciutto, Herbed Ricotta and Sage
Ingredients
Herbed Ricotta
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups part-skim ricotta cheese
Pizza
- DeLallo Pizza Dough Kit
- 1 ½ pounds butternut squash peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage plus more sage leaves for garnish
- 4 ounces sliced prosciutto
- DeLallo Balsamic Glaze
Instructions
- For the herbed ricotta, in a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to top the pizzas.
- For the pizza dough, in a large bowl, combine the DeLallo flour and yeast packet; use a fork to mix. Add 1 ¼ cups warm water. Stir with a fork until a dough begins to form. Knead by hand for 3 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth. Transfer to a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. (After this step, you can refrigerate for use within 1-3 days.)
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, combine the squash and olive oil and toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer and season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bake until the squash is tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Add the chopped sage, toss, and set aside.
- Raise the oven temperature to 450˚F.
- Divide the pizza dough into 2 equal portions. Form the pizza by hand on a lightly oiled baking pan or pizza stone.
- Top each dough round evenly with the squash, prosciutto, truffled mushrooms, and dollops of herbed ricotta.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is crispy and golden. Drizzle the top with balsamic glaze and garnish with sage leaves if desired.
My husband begs me not to make homemade pizza for the same reasons that you described. But just looking at the photos of this pizza, I can tell it’s going to satisfy! These toppings sound completely delicious, too! Can’t wait to give it a try.
Perfect flavor combos here!!!
The best pizza recipe ever! It’s a great flavor combination
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The comment highlights the convenience and quality of the DeLallo Pizza Dough Kit. Describing it as “foolproof” suggests that it’s user-friendly, which is great for those who may not have much experience with making dough.
This pumpkin pizza with prosciutto and herb ricotta is truly the perfect combination of fall flavors!
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This butternut squash pizza looks absolutely divine! I can totally relate to the homemade pizza struggles. The dough can be so tricky! I’ve had my share of gummy disasters. Since you’ve conquered the dough hurdle, I’m inspired to try again. Maybe I’ll even get creative and try a breakfast pizza. I wonder if some scrambled eggs and bacon would be good, almost like an Eggy Car kind of situation but on a pizza! Thanks for the motivation!
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But for too long, I was a scrooge about making pizza at home. I blame it on a few failed attempts that resulted in soggy pizza with gummy dough and overpoweringly yeast-y flavor.
I completely relate to your pizza-making struggles! Soggy crusts and failed attempts can be so discouraging.
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Made this for lunch today and it was fresh, simple, and satisfying. Loved the veggie combo and quick prep time.
This Butternut Squash Pizza sounds absolutely incredible! The combo of prosciutto, herbed ricotta, and sage feels so cozy and gourmet. I love getting inspiration from recipes like this, and I also enjoy browsing restaurant menus for flavor ideas—this Kfc Philippines menu overview is a great reference when planning meals. Thanks for sharing such a creative pizza recipe!
Oh my goodness, this pizza looks absolutely incredible! I love how you’ve combined fall flavors like butternut squash and sage with the salty prosciutto and creamy ricotta. That combination sounds so comforting and perfect for the cooler weather we’re starting to have.
I totally relate to the pizza-making struggles you mentioned – I’ve had my fair share of gummy dough disasters in the past, which made me hesitant to try making it at home for a while. It’s so encouraging to hear you found a solution that works! I definitely need to try this recipe soon, and I’m curious what your go-to dough trick is now.
The visual contrast between the orange squash, pink prosciutto, and white ricotta is gorgeous too. This would be such a showstopper for a dinner party or even just a cozy night in. Thanks for sharing this recipe – I bookmarked it immediately!
This pizza looks absolutely incredible! I’m a huge fan of butternut squash and sage together – it’s such a perfect fall flavor combination. The herbed ricotta sounds like such a creamy, delicious addition, and prosciutto is always a win in my book.
I totally relate to the struggle of making pizza at home though. I’ve had my fair share of gummy dough disasters and soggy bottoms. It’s so discouraging after spending all that time on the dough. It’s great that you found a solution that works – I’m curious what changed for you? Was it a different dough recipe, cooking method, or something else entirely?
I think I’m going to have to try this for my next pizza night. The combination of the sweet squash, salty prosciutto, and aromatic sage sounds like it would be perfect with a little balsamic drizzle too. Thanks for sharing!