A16 Delicata Squash Walnut Pizza
A16 Pizza
Looking to add some fall flavors to your pizza night at home? The team from A16 in San Francisco has you covered with this dough recipe and unique cream topping that’s blended with sweet onions.
“This dough recipe delivers reliable results in home ovens and is super flexible: Mix it the day before you want to make pizza and refrigerate it; the next day, portion the dough. If you are short on time, you can refrigerate the portioned dough and bake it the next day. Because so little yeast is used, the dough not only stands up to long fermentation times but also actually gets easier to work with over time,” Shelley Lindgren, the owner of A16, tells us. “For toppings, feel free to get creative. Pre-roasted vegetables are great additions, and so are different kinds of cheeses, olives, anchovies, or pre-cooked sausages. Or finish the pizza with a handful of fresh arugula after it comes out of the oven,” she adds.
How to Make It
1
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and yeast together. Stir in the water until a shaggy dough forms, then put a clean kitchen towel over the bowl and set aside for 20 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the water a bit more.
2
Knead the dough on a lightly-floured counter until the dough is smooth to the touch, 5 to 7 minutes. (Alternatively, knead in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment for about 4 minutes.)
3
Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil and put the dough on top. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4
The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit for 1 to 2 hours. Dust a counter with flour and put the dough on top. Divide into 4 equal pieces. One at a time, cup the pieces in your hands and tuck under the sides until you have formed a smooth ball. Place the balls on a lightly oiled pan, leaving enough space for them to rise without sticking together.
5
Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and set aside until puffed, leaving a light indentation if pressed, 2 to 4 hours. Or you can refrigerate the dough overnight (first cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly oiled so it does not stick to the dough). If refrigerating, take the dough out of the refrigerator 2 hours before baking.
6
While the dough comes to temperature, prepare the toppings.
7
Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a heavy bottom pan and add garlic and chili flakes. Cook one minute until sizzling but not browned. Add sliced delicata squash and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until squash is soft and beginning to brown. Remove from heat and place in bowl until ready to use.
8
Add sliced onions, 1 tbsp. olive oil, and a pinch of salt to a blender and puree. Add cream or mascarpone and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
9
30 minutes before baking, arrange the center rungs of the oven with a pizza stone or baking steel. Preheat the oven to its maximum temperature (500°-550°F).
10
To shape each pizza, on a countertop dusted with flour pat each dough portion into a circle using your fingertips. Place the palm of one hand in the center and gently but firmly press down. At the same time, with the other hand, pull the dough outward while rotating it clockwise to form a flat circle with a slightly raised edge (this is the cornicione in Neapolitan-pizza speak).
11
Slide the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and top first with a thick even layer of the onion cream sauce. Then top with a layer of cooked squash. Slide onto hot pizza stone and cook for 6 to 10 minutes until crisp and the top is bubbling.
12
Remove from oven and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle toasted walnuts on top, slice and serve.
Ingredients
For the Pizza Dough
4 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp instant yeast
1 ½ cups room temperature water
2 tsp kosher salt
olive oil for coating
For Topping
1 cup cippolini onions or sweet onions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
¼ cup heavy cream or mascarpone
1 delicata squash, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp chili flakes
¼ cup roasted walnuts, chopped
Directions
1
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and yeast together. Stir in the water until a shaggy dough forms, then put a clean kitchen towel over the bowl and set aside for 20 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the water a bit more.
2
Knead the dough on a lightly-floured counter until the dough is smooth to the touch, 5 to 7 minutes. (Alternatively, knead in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment for about 4 minutes.)
3
Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil and put the dough on top. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4
The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit for 1 to 2 hours. Dust a counter with flour and put the dough on top. Divide into 4 equal pieces. One at a time, cup the pieces in your hands and tuck under the sides until you have formed a smooth ball. Place the balls on a lightly oiled pan, leaving enough space for them to rise without sticking together.
5
Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and set aside until puffed, leaving a light indentation if pressed, 2 to 4 hours. Or you can refrigerate the dough overnight (first cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly oiled so it does not stick to the dough). If refrigerating, take the dough out of the refrigerator 2 hours before baking.
6
While the dough comes to temperature, prepare the toppings.
7
Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a heavy bottom pan and add garlic and chili flakes. Cook one minute until sizzling but not browned. Add sliced delicata squash and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until squash is soft and beginning to brown. Remove from heat and place in bowl until ready to use.
8
Add sliced onions, 1 tbsp. olive oil, and a pinch of salt to a blender and puree. Add cream or mascarpone and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
9
30 minutes before baking, arrange the center rungs of the oven with a pizza stone or baking steel. Preheat the oven to its maximum temperature (500°-550°F).
10
To shape each pizza, on a countertop dusted with flour pat each dough portion into a circle using your fingertips. Place the palm of one hand in the center and gently but firmly press down. At the same time, with the other hand, pull the dough outward while rotating it clockwise to form a flat circle with a slightly raised edge (this is the cornicione in Neapolitan-pizza speak).
11
Slide the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and top first with a thick even layer of the onion cream sauce. Then top with a layer of cooked squash. Slide onto hot pizza stone and cook for 6 to 10 minutes until crisp and the top is bubbling.
12
Remove from oven and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle toasted walnuts on top, slice and serve.
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