Roasted Pumpkin, Sage & Goat Cheese Pizza

Sweet roasted pumpkin, tangy goat cheese and crisp sage make this a deeply comforting pizza with enough acidity and crunch to stay balanced. Roasting the pumpkin first concentrates its flavour and helps the base stay crisp.

Ingredients

• 300 g butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra to finish
• 1 ball pizza dough (about 250 g), at room temperature
• 90 g low-moisture mozzarella, grated
• 80 g soft goat cheese
• ¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
• 10–12 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Flour or semolina, for dusting

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C. Toss the pumpkin with half the olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 15–18 minutes, until tender and caramelised at the edges, then set aside to cool.
2. After the pumpkin comes out, turn the oven to its highest setting. Place a pizza stone or heavy inverted tray inside and preheat it for at least 35 minutes.
3. Toss the red onion with the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt. Leave for 10 minutes, then pat away any excess liquid.
4. On a lightly floured surface, stretch the dough into a 30 cm round, keeping the rim slightly thicker than the centre.
5. Scatter over the mozzarella, roasted pumpkin and red onion. Add small pieces of goat cheese, then top with half the sage leaves.
6. Transfer to the hot stone or tray and bake for 8–12 minutes, until the base is crisp, the rim is deeply browned and the cheese is bubbling.
7. Warm a teaspoon of olive oil in a small pan and fry the remaining sage until crisp. Scatter it over the hot pizza with the parmesan and a few drops of olive oil. Rest for 1 minute before slicing.