Sweet Potato, Portabello, Caramelized Onion, Rosemary, and Goat Cheese Pizza

Pizza fresh out of the oven - mmm.

I had a ton of leftover sweet potato and ricotta from my previous gnocchi experience. The sweet creamy mixture of sweet potato and ricotta inspired an idea for a great pizza. I decided to use the sweet potato and ricotta mixture as a sauce. This would be topped with portabello mushrooms, caramelized onions, rosemary, and goat cheese.

I was going to make my own dough, but got a little lazy and ordered up some dough from Anthony's in Falls Church. They have great dough. I rolled out the dough onto my pizza pan and baked it at 500 F for 5 minutes (JAM Note: In retrospect, I would bake this for 8-10 min as the crust could have baked a little longer). Take the pizza crust out of the oven and reduce the heat to 425 F. Put the toppings on and bake for 8-10 more minutes. Voila! Dinner is served.

Pizza is best served with a nice green salad. My mom made a spinach, strawberry, and toasted pecan salad to go with our pie. She made her own strawberry balsamic dressing as well. Sweet, yet tart, it was the perfect compliment. This meal is so simple, yet so elegant. You will totally impress people with your skills in the kitchen!

Spinach, strawberry, and toasted pecan salad with strawberry balsamic vinagrette.

Pizza Recipe

1 ball of pizza dough (good for 16 in pizza)

1 portabello mushroom, sliced

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced (JAM Note: I would use a whole onion in the future)

2 oz goat cheese

2 tsp rosemary

2 tbsp olive oil

1 sweet potato, baked

6 oz ricotta cheese, drained

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

1/4 c parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 F. To make sweet potato ricotta mixture, mash potato in a bowl and add the next four ingredients. Mix until well combined and set aside. Heat olive oil in a saute pan on medium high heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Then add portabello mushrooms. Onions will start to brown and caramelize, when this happens remove from heat.

Roll out pizza dough onto pan. Spread into a circle about 16 in in diameter, leaving a thicker edge around the perimeter. Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes. Turn heat down to 425 F. Spread a thin layer of the sweet potato mixture onto the pizza. Top with portabellos, onions, rosemary, and goat cheese. Bake in oven for 8-10 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Strawberry Balsamic Vinagrette

5 strawberries

1/4 c balsamic vinagrette

2 tbsp water

1/3 c olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Combine ingredients in blender. Shake before serving.