Nov 4

Nov 4 Spicy Pumpkin, Sausage and Charred Broccoli Pizza

A spicy pizza with the sweet spice flavors of fall, fennel sausage and charred broccoli.

Spicy Pumpkin, Sausage and Charred Broccoli Pizza

Serves 2-3

Welcome to November my absolute favorite month of the year. To start off the three weeks till Thanksgiving I present, this pumpkin pizza.

This is an almost cheese-less pizza with just a little being added at the end. A spicy creamy veloute, topped with homemade fennel sausage, pumpkin spice roasted pumpkin and broccoli which becomes delightfully charred, this pizza is flavor overload.

The idea from this pie came simply from the fact that I wanted to try my hand at making homemade fennel sausage. After making the sausage, everything else kind fell into place. Savory, pumpkin spice roasted squash would pair well with the sausage and a spicy, garlicky, veloute but I needed something sharp to offset and add interest, enter charred broccoli. I am very proud of this pie and the interesting yet bold flavor combinations that flawlessly blend my very suburban American upbringing with the flavors Korea, the place I call home and who I am culinarily.

“Recipe Tips:

1. Any winter squash (delicata, butternut, etc.) will work for this recipe.
.
2. Sausage: The recipe makes more sausage than you need for the pizza. Alternatively, you can also use 2.5 – 3 store-bought Italian Sausage links removed from the casing. To make a spicy sausage add a heaped 1.5 t of gochugaru to the sausage mix.

3. The sriracha honey is an optional drizzle that can be added to the pizza. I like the slight tang and mild sweetness it adds but it is not necessary.”

Ingredients

1 recipe Grandma/Sicilian Pizza dough (recipe here)

Sausage

454g (1 lb) fatty ground pork

2 garlic cloves, grated

1.75 t mirin

1.75 t white wine

1.5 t slightly heaped kosher salt

1.5 t whole fennel seeds, coarsely ground

0.25 t heaped ground black pepper

Sauce

21g (1.5 T) butter

3 garlic cloves, grated

0.50 t gochugaru

2 T flour

150ml (0.75 c) broth

50ml (0.25 c) milk

1 T gochujang

2 t soy sauce

0.25 t kosher salt

0.25 t ground black pepper

Pinch ground nutmeg

Pumpkin

350g (a little more than ¾ lbs) kabocha squash, peeled and cut into 0.50 in thick on a bias

2 t vegetable oil

0.50 t kosher salt

0.50 t 5-spice

0.50 - 0.75 t pumpkin spice (recipe here)

0.25 t ground white pepper

Broccoli

250g (a little more than ½ lb) broccoli, cut into florets, stem trimmed and cut into 0.50 in pieces on a bias

1.5 t vegetable oil

0.25 t kosher salt

0.25 t ground black pepper

Sriracha honey - optional

1 T sriracha

1.5 t honey

0.50 t Asian hot mustard – optional

1.25 t yondu or soy sauce

Finishing

1 scallion, thinly sliced

Grana Padano or Parmesan

Recipe Know-how

Sausage

1. In a medium mixing bowl, place all of the sausage ingredients.

Using your hand mix the sausage until well combined.
Once combined, continue to mix the sausage stirring in one direction with your hand until the fat begins to melt slightly and the mixture begins to homogenize, about 3 minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap, placing directly on the surface and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Sauce

2. In a small pot over medium heat, melt the butter.

Add the garlic and gochugaru and saute for 30 seconds.
Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute.
Whisking constantly, add the broth and milk.
Cook 3 – 4 minutes or until very thick.
Add the gochujang and seasoning, continuing to cook for 1 minute longer.

Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Cool completely.

Pumpkin and Broccoli

3. Preheat an oven to 200 C / 400 F.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the squash with the oil and seasonings coating well.

Pour 1 T vegetable oil onto the baking sheet and place in the oven for 5 minutes.
Using an oven mitt, carefully remove the pan from the oven and gently tilt the pan to coat the surface with the oil.

The pan and oil are both very hot, as such, be very careful when removing the pan from the oven and coating the pan with oil.

Pour the pumpkin onto half of the baking sheet in a single layer.

Do not clean the mixing bowl as it will be used for the broccoli.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Into the bowl that had the pumpkin, toss the broccoli with the oil and seasonings coating well.
Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and pour the broccoli onto the clear half of the pan in a single layer.
Bake 5 – 7 minutes longer or until the broccoli is beginning to char and the squash is cooked through.
Remove from the oven and cool.

Siracha honey

5. In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients well.

Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Set aside.

Baking

6. Turn the oven up to 230 C / 450 F.

Heat for at least 10 minutes.

Continue on with prepping the pizza as the oven heats.

7. Pour 1 T of olive oil onto a ¼ sheet pan.

Using your hands, oil the pan ensuring to coat the bottom, sides and corners well.
Place the pizza dough onto the sheet pan and gently stretch into all corners with your hands.

If the dough is too elastic while stretching, allow it to rest 10 – 15 minutes before finishing stretching.

Using a spoon, stir the cooled sauce to smooth it out and make it spreadable.
With the back of the spoon, spread the sauce onto the pizza leaving a 0.25 in border on all sides for the crust.

Be sure to leave the border clear when adding the toppings.

Using about half of the sausage, flatten pieces into 0.25 in thick sheets and place in a single layer over the surface of the pie.
Top with the pumpkin and broccoli.
Bake the pie for 18 – 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling, the sausage is cooked through and the crust is browned.
Remove the cooked pizza to a cooling rack and cool for 3 minutes.
Scatter the scallion on top and finely grate some cheese on top.