Roasted Winter Vegetable Pizza

Sweet potato, turnips, turnip greens, leeks, thyme and sorghum compliment one another in this earthy pizza with a little sweet and a lot of savory in each bite. This pizza pairs well with a simple salad and a Pinot Noir from Oregon. Cheers to savoring the tastes of winter and enjoying healthy meals at home.

Ingredients:
1 medium leek, white part only, thinly sliced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 small turnip, peeled and diced
1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon sorghum (or honey)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small bunch turnip greens, roughly chopped
1 tablespoons water
1 ball pizza dough
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. On a large baking sheet, combine leeks, sweet potatoes and turnip. Drizzle with olive oil, honey, thyme, salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, until tender and lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
  3. In a large skillet, heat ½ tablespoon olive oil. Add turnip greens and water and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until greens have wilted.
  4. Roll the pizza dough to a thin layer, about ⅛ inch thick and 12 to 14 inches in diameter.
  5. Prepare the grill for medium-high, indirect heat. For a gas grill, leave one or two burners off and for a charcoal grill, place coals on one side and use the coal free side.
  6. Place crust on the grill (a pizza peel comes handy here) and cook for about five minutes, until top of crust starts to bubble and light brown grill marks appear on the bottom of the crust.
  7. Remove crust from grill. Top cooked side of crust an even layer of roasted vegetables and turnip greens. Top with mozzarella cheese.
  8. Return pizza to the grill and cook for about five minutes, until cheese has melted and bottom of crust has light brown grill marks. Remove from grill, slice and serve.

Servings: 4

Root Vegetable & Sausage Grilled Pizza

Sometimes we need to know someone is on our side, cheering for us to achieve our goals or just make it through a challenging season. You can let your family know your are rooting for them with a pizza featuring root vegetables. Serve up this Root Vegetable & Sausage Grilled Pizza for your next family night and finish the evening with fire roasted s’mores or a movie and popcorn.  

Ingredients:
1 medium turnip
1 medium rutabaga
¼ pound ground sausage, cooked
1 pizza crust
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
Garlic and fine herb gurney cheese, crumbled
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Peel and slice turnip and rutabaga. Steam the two root vegetables until tender. 
  2. Roll and stretch pizza dough to a thin layer, about ⅛ inch thick and 12 to 14 inches in diameter. Prepare the grill for medium-high, indirect heat. For a gas grill, leave one or two burners off and for a charcoal grill, place coals on one side and use the coal free side.
  3. Place crust on the grill (a pizza peel is handy here) and cook for about five minutes, until top of crust starts to bubble and light brown grill marks appear on the bottom. Remove crust from the grill and place on a workable surface.
  4. Brush cooked side of crust with olive oil. Top with turnip and rutabaga and season vegetables with thyme, salt and pepper. Add sausage and desired amount of cheeses.
  5. Return pizza to the grill and continue cooking for about five minutes, until cheese has melted and light grill marks appear on the bottom of the crust. Remove from the grill, slice and serve.