Pumpkin and Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza with Basil and Feta

Love  happens in the most unlikeliest of places. It happened to me in Melbourne. On a bus. We had stopped by at a quaint little town for tea on our way to Philip Island and I was so engrossed in taking pictures that I did not realize that our 30 minute tea break was getting over and it was time to get back up on the bus. I looked around and noticed there weren’t that many options for take-away. One of the cafes nearby, had a few sweet things on offer but no-one was game except me. I urged my husband to get hold of some sandwiches while I got the kids seated on the bus. Hubby came back at the nick of time holding two small and two big brown paper bags. I did not have breakfast that morning so I was ready to eat anything. He handed over mini pies to the kids and I thought a large one was coming for me.

 

‘Pumpkin Foccacia’ he said handing over one of them. I was so sure that I had heard him wrong. Our tour guide had taken over the speakers on the bus and was describing the next destination. If you are with me for a while, you know I am not a fan of pumpkin. I may have started to eat it and enjoy it it small quantities but not in my sandwiches and wraps. I looked inside the bag and there it was. ‘No way’ I exclaimed.
‘They said it is the most popular item on their menu’ he replied. I wasn’t happy but I was hungry so I bit into it. I could taste basil pesto and feta, two of my favourite things. I started to enjoy it. The pumpkin was mild and a perfect contrast to the crunchy foccacia, salty feta and aromatic pesto. I loved the flavour combination. It was like a burst of freshness in the mouth. Something so unexpected for me. It also looked amazing with the bright orange, green and white.

When I got home, I wanted to give the flavours another try. Instead of a foccacia I used the dough to make a pizza. Instead of pesto, I added fresh basil leaves and sun-dried tomatoes. I thought I managed to create a similar flavour effect, yet I would recommend using Pesto for a bolder taste and the ideal balance. If you are making this recipe, go with a strong herb pesto like basil or mint. You may use home-made or store bought. Dollop spoonfuls over the pizza base before you layer the pumpkin. The pumpkin is more like the filler component here and a great base to pair the rest of the ingredients. This would make a nice meat-free alternative for vegetarians as well.

Pumpkin and Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza with Basil and Feta
Serves 4

Pizza Dough (makes two 12 inch pizzas)
3 cups Plain Flour
2 tsp/7g/1 sachet dried yeast
1/2 tsp castor sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 tbsp olive oil
Olive oil, for brushing
Semolina or Polenta, to dust

Pizza Topping
1/2 cup pizza/pasta sauce
150 g butternut pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
salt and pepper, for seasoning
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
a handful of fresh basil leaves
a handful of rocket & baby spinach leaves, for garnish

Make the dough: Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the warm water and olive oil. Mix together and use your hands to bring it to a soft dough. Knead it on a floured surface to make it smooth and pliable. Return it to the mixing bowl that has been brushed with oil. Add the dough and turn to coat.
Cover with a damp tea towel. Set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size. Punch down dough with your fist. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it gently for a minute. Halve the dough (for one 12 inch pizza) and roll it out to the desired portion and thickness.

Make the pizza :Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C. Dust pizza tray with semolina or polenta. Place the rolled out dough onto the prepared tray. Spread a thick layer of pizza/pasta sauce around the base of the pizza. Top with thinly sliced pumpkin, sun-dried tomatoes and feta. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes or until base is crisp. Remove the pizza from the oven, top with leafy green (basil, rocket and spinach). Serve with an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cracked pepper.