This bacon jam, pear & butternut squash pizza is a thoroughly fall-flavored pizza. With a roast squash base, bacon jam, pear & pecorino on top. So good!
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Pizza is always going to be popular in our house, as I'm sure is true for many. While my toddler may not be open to any more than one kind, at least the rest of us are so if I make pizza, I often make a few toppings.
This bacon jam, pear and butternut squash pizza may be a bit different from your average pizza, but it's a delicious taste of fall. The smooth butternut squash pizza base, topped with sweet-savory bacon jam, slices of pear and gently sharp pecorino. It's a great combination.
Pizza on the menu
Despite my resolution earlier in the year, I have a confession: we haven't had pizza at home very often. You see, we've got in a bit of a habit of going out most weekends to either the local pizza restaurant or other place for dinner and my toddler invariably has pizza.
I don't mind that once a week, especially when it's generally pretty good pizza, but I don't really want to make it at home as well. Finally, though, he's started going for other things when we're not at the pizza place, so pizza at home has come back on the menu.
Our local pizza restaurant often has seasonal pizzas alongside their standard list which, this time of year, often include some with a butternut squash base. I decided on our last pizza-at-home night to make my own version with this bacon jam, pear and butternut squash pizza, making use of some of the delicious apple bacon jam I made recently. It's a relatively simple but delicious combination.
How to make this butternut squash pizza
True, you need to think ahead a little on this by roasting the squash for the base and making the dough and leaving it to rise. However those both have very limited hands-on work and it's still not all that long.
When you come to put this butternut squash pizza together, it's all pretty quick and easy. You simply:
- Spread the squash puree over the pizza base.
- Top it with pieces of pear and dots of the bacon jam.
- Grate over some pecorino.
- Bake and enjoy.
This bacon jam, pear and butternut squash pizza has a lovely balance of sweet and savory flavors. It has a definite comfort factor, perfectly fitting given the fall ingredients. My husband said it was tasty but it wasn't pizza, more of a flatbread. Maybe he's right. But if you can put aside being a little traditionalist, this bacon jam, pear and butternut squash pizza is definitely worth a try.
Looking for more pizza ideas? Try these!
- Fall pizza with sausage and squash
- Caramelized onion and gorgonzola pizza
- Spanish pizza (Catalan coca - pepper and onion pizza)
- Lahmacun (Turkish meat-topped pizza/flatbread)
- Bacon corn pizza
And get more ideas for fall recipes in the archives.
Bacon jam, pear and butternut squash pizza
Ingredients
For the topping
- 2 ¼ lb butternut squash 1kg, peeled weight
- 2 pears
- 1 cup bacon jam see separate recipe
- ¾ cup pecorino 15g, approx, finely grated
For the pizza base
- 2 cups white bread flour 265g
- 1 cup whole wheat flour 135g
- 1 cup all purpose flour 132g plain flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon fast-acting dried yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon plain yogurt eg Greek-style
- 1 ½ cups water 360ml, warm
Instructions
- Cut the squash into chunks and roast at 400F/200C until tender (approx 20-25min) then leave to cool slightly. Blend the cooked squash until it's a relatively smooth paste. (Note the squash can be cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge overnight.)
- To make the pizza dough, put the flours, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl and mix together. Make a slight well in the middle and add the oil, yogurt and water and carefully mix together into a dough. It will be slightly wet and sticky. Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, stretching the dough away from you with the back of your hand, folding the stretched part over on top of the rest of the dough, turning 90 degrees then repeating. Add a little more flour as you go, if needed. After around 5min it should stop feeling sticky. Clean out the mixing bowl, lightly oil it then form the dough into a ball and put it in the bowl. Cover with cling film/plastic wrap and leave it to rest somewhere warm for about an hour, possibly more, until it doubles in size.
- When ready to make the pizza, preheat oven to 425F/220C.
- Knock back the pizza dough (prod with your fingers after turning it out of the bowl) and divide into 4. Keep the pieces you are not working with to one side, covered, while you work on the one pizza.
- Roll out the pizza dough into a circle or rectangle, as you prefer, and as suits your baking sheet/tray. Roll it about as thin as you can, transfer to a piece of parchment paper on top of your baking sheet/tray. (Note you can pre-heat the baking sheet and then slide the parchment on to it just before you cook. This may help it cook more evenly but from things I have read but I haven't done a side by side comparison).
- Spread the squash puree over the pizza dough so it is fairly even and leaves a small rim around the edge without the paste. Thinly slice the pear then lay slices evenly over the squash mixture. Add drops of the bacon jam in between then sprinkle over the cheese.
- Bake for approx 15-20 minutes until the dough is browning and the cheese is just starting to brown as well.
Notes
See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.
Like pizza? Try these other ideas from around the web:
Main course pizzas
- BBQ Bacon Mango Pizza by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
- Chicken Pot Pie French Bread Pizza by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
- Chicken Vegetable Pizza (Low-Carb) by My Life Cookbook
- Meatball Sub Pizza by Life Tastes Good
- Pizza Toscana by Cooking with Carlee
- Rustic Bacon & Citrus Pizza by Gourmet Everyday
Dessert pizzas
- Caramel Apple Dessert Pizza by The Foodie Affair
- Cheesecake Pizza by The Redhead Baker
- Coconut Macaroon Pizza by Pies and Plots
- Fresh Fruit Pizza by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Remember to pin for later!
Dan from Platter Talk
I"m loving the seasonal spin in this original pizza, especially the ying and yang that's going on between the sweet jam and the savory squash. This is exactly the type of pizza I love to create and eat! Great job!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Dan, it's a really delicious flavor combination!
Maggie
Interesting combination - I must look for your bacon jam recipe because that alone sounds delicious! However, bacon jam AND butternut squash = heaven! Thanks for sharing, and happy Fiesta Friday, Caroline! Are ye doing anything fun for Hallowe'en?
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Maggie, you definitely need to try the bacon jam, and it works so well in this pizza too.
judigraber
Bacon jam is good on anything - I will have to remember that the next time I make a homemade pizza. Pears and butternut squash - perfect additions. Happy FF Caroline!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Judi, I agree, definitely put it on pizza!
Christie
This looks SO good! I love those flavors and colors together. I am definitely trying some butternut squash on my pizza next time!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Christie, you really should - it's a delicious change up from tomato.
sarah
My family would love this - theyre huge fans of fruit on pizza
Liz
This would make a fabulous appetizer, cut into bite-sized strips! So fun and perfect for the season!
Denise Wright
This looks delicious! I can't wait to see how you made your bacon jam and along with the butternut squash and pear....well it's a wonderful combination!
Celia @ Chicago Jogger
This pizza looks soo good! I love that you used squash puree instead of marinara. So creative!
Monica
What wonderful fall flavors in this pizza! I can't wait to try it!!!!
Tammi @ Momma's Meals
I was inspired to make Bacon Jam since the FWC this past year and I just so happen to be making it tonight! I never thought about throwing some butternut squash in there though. Brilliant!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Tammi. Bacon jam is so good, it can be used in lots of things and is great on this pizza. The squash base is delicious too.
Cindys Recipes and Writings
I love the was this pizza looks! Perfect for fall!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Cindy, absolutely it's a very fall-flavored pizza.