Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Onion Pizza with the Very Best Vegan Pizza Crust

Yield: 2 small-medium pizzas or about 4 servings

If you've read my last few posts, you can tell I'm on a squash kick. It seems I want to use roasted or caramelized squash and onions in every dish I make...except desserts. And this pizza is one reason why. Green flecks of pine-scented fresh rosemary leaves are beautiful against the golden crust and topping of this earthy-sweet and mellow pie. It gets a little kick from optional red pepper flakes and extra creaminess from homemade vegan white "cheese." And this crust does not just provide a vehicle for getting the other ingredients to your mouth, but contributes fully to the taste and texture of one heck of a nutritious and delicious pizza.


CPK's Pizza Dough:

1 teaspoon "quick rise" or "rapid rise" yeast
1 3/4 cup unbleached bread or all-purpose flour (I used all-purpose)
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon granulated or raw sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons tepid water ("quick rise" yeast does not need the traditional soak in warm water to activate it)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

You may use a stand mixer (fitted with a paddle rather than a hook for this small amount of dough), a food processor or your hands. If you use a processor, use a plastic rather than a metal blade, as the latter will cut through the gluten strands preventing a proper rise. Place all dry ingredients in the appropriate bowl. Add water and 1 teaspoon olive oil and beat for 2-3 minutes on medium-low until dough is smooth and elastic; or process just until the dough forms a smooth ball; or knead 5 minutes with oiled hands or until smooth and elastic, but slightly sticky. Do not overbeat/over-knead. Pour remaining teaspoon of olive oil into a mixing bowl and spread with your fingers. Place ball of dough into the bowl and move it around to coat the underside and then flip over and do the same to the other side. Cover loosely with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in bulk about 2 hours. While dough rises, prepare other ingredients.

Note: If you have regular active dry yeast, dissolve it first in the water before adding to the dry ingredients. The water should be 105-110 degrees; any hotter will kill the yeast and prevent rising.


Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Onion:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 of a butter nut squash (about 3/4 pound)--I used the bulbous lower half (and used the upper half for another recipe)--cut in half lengthwise, peeled, seeds and pulp removed, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 of a red onion, peeled and fairly thinly sliced
coarse sea or kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour olive oil into roasting pan and toss vegetables with oil. Add salt to taste and toss again. Place pan in oven and roast for 30 minutes, stirring gently after every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. While vegetables are roasting, make "cheese."


Creamy White "Cheese"

1 ½ cups unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons sesame tahini
2 teaspoons miso (light, dark or whatever you have)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (or kuzu)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt
8 ounces tofu (drained weight), cubed or in a block (I like to start with the cubed)

Place all ingredients except tofu in food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and whisk continuously over medium-high heat until very thick and smooth. Let cool and mash tofu between fingers into mixture. Stir well to distribute. Cover and refrigerate.

Source: slightly adapted from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak (the only change I made was to add the tofu).


Rosemary Olive Oil for Brushing on Pizza:

1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 stalks of fresh rosemary
coarse sea or kosher salt
optional: small pinch of dried red pepper flakes

Pour olive oil into a small cup or bowl. Gently crush leaves of rosemary with your fingers and add to the olive oil with a little salt. Set it aside on the counter until ready to use. The longer it steeps, the more intense the rosemary flavor will be.


Shape Dough:

After dough has risen, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place two pizza stones inside and heat them for approximately 30 minutes. Divide dough in half, shape each half into a ball, dust lightly with flour, and place in the center of a lightly oiled piece of foil about 10 inches square, shiny side down. Starting with one ball, begin in the center and working your way to the edges, use your fingertips to gently press and stretch dough into 7-8" circle with a slightly raised rim. Repeat with other half of dough on the other piece of foil.


Assemble and Bake Pizzas:

Spread a few tablespoons of the "cheese" on each crust to make a thin layer, leaving a 1/2-inch margin. Top each pizza evenly with half of roasted squash and onions. (You may arrange the squash in a kind of pinwheel design, if desired.) Dot each pizza with just a few more "cheese" hunks. Brush rim of crust with the rosemary olive oil, and dot a some of the oil on the squash and onions. Using oven mitts, open the oven door and slide out rack(s). Carefully slide each pizza, foil and all, onto its pizza stone. Slide racks back into place and bake pizzas approximately 11 minutes. When crust is just golden, remove pizzas from oven. Brush with a little more oil if desired and sprinkle with some of the rosemary leaves that have been marinating in the oil. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and then slide off of foil onto serving platters, using a spatula to assist, if needed. Serve warm.