Pumpkin Pizza

This pumpkin pizza is a real treat. It’s a great way to use fall pumpkins, squash and greens from farmers’ markets.

• 1 small sugar pumpkin, Garnet sweet potato, or your favorite squash (try delicata, kabocha, butternut or acorn)
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• 1 bunch chard or other greens, such as kale or spinach
• ¼ cup uncooked grits or polenta, for rolling the dough
• 1 ball prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup Roasted Garlic Paste (see recipe below)
• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the pumpkin or squash in half from the stem end. Roast on a sheet pan, cut side down, for 30 minutes. Turn it over and continue roasting for 30 more minutes, or until the flesh starts to brown (caramelize). Let cool, then scoop out the flesh in small spoonfuls. Reserve 1½ cups and save the rest for an omelet (add bacon and Brie!), or serve as a side dish.
2. In a small pot over low heat, add the butter and sage leaves. Under a watchful eye, let the butter melt and turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Reserve. Remove the stems from the chard. Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add the greens, then let the water return to a boil. Pour off the water, let the greens cool, and then squeeze out the excess water. Reserve.
3. Preheat the grill. Roll out and shape the dough, transfer to your grilling area and grill the first side of the crust per the master instructions. When the bottom is marked and browned, use tongs to transfer the crust to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Switch the grill to indirect heat and close the lid to maintain the grill temperature.
4. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side. Spread the entire surface with the garlic paste and sprinkle with fontina. Top with spoonfuls of the pumpkin-squash mixture. Scatter the cooked greens around, separating them so they are evenly distributed. Sprinkle with mozzarella and pumpkin seeds.
5. Transfer the pizza back onto the grill grate over the unlit section, close the lid, and grill until the bottom is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is bubbly, 7-10 minutes.
6. Remove from the grill. Remove the sage from the brown butter (or alternately, crush the leaves and leave them in), then drizzle over top of the pizza. Slice and serve immediately.

Roasted Garlic Paste

• 3 heads garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• Kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Remove the first layer of papery skin from the garlic. Slice off a ¼ inch from the pointy top. Place each head on a sheet of aluminum foil, cut side up. Drizzle with the oil and season with salt. Wrap each head in the foil and roast until the cloves are golden brown and soft, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let cool. (You can also do this on the grill, cooking over indirect heat.)
3. Remove the roasted cloves from their skins. The most efficient way to do this is to squeeze the whole head from the bottom. Using a fork, vigorously mix the garlic and oil together. Add a pinch of salt. (If your recipe calls for just a clove or two of roasted garlic, you can remove it from the skin using a small escargot-style fork.)
4. This will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.