AHHH. This pizza!
No lie: when I gave a slice to Mark, he took a bite, his eyes got wide, and he said…
“TOP THREE.”
As it top three favorite Fooduzzi recipes ever! Woot woot!
Let me start out by saying that…I realize this pizza doesn’t look like much. In fact, it might look and sound a little weird.
But trust me, friends. It’s the most perfect combination of smoky, salty, sweet, and savory. It’s like taking a big, carby bite out of fall.
Fall on a pizza. I mean, surely things can’t get any better than this.
I first had an iteration of this epicness at a fun Italian restaurant near us. We frequent this pizza place quite a bit (no lie, we were going once a week for a while), and everything I’ve had there is fab. Which is typically a margarita pizza. Traditional perfection.
However. The last time I was there, a fall-inspired pizza pie caught my eye. Apples, honey, fried sage…omg. It also had prosciutto on it, but I just had them leave it off for a vegetarian version.
I was instantly in love and knew I needed to re-create it for the blog!
So, pizza. Arguably the best food ever created, yes?
But you add a fall flair? Just magic. Pure magic!
It all starts with the dough. Use your fave! I used this recipe. Mark really liked it, but I kinda thought it was a bit too bread-like. But you do you! You can even buy fresh dough at the grocery store if you’re so inclined. Or a pizza dough mix! For gluten eaters, I love DeLallo’s dough kit. And if you’re looking for a GF pizza dough mix, I lovelovelove Bob’s Red Mill’s! So many options!
Then, the toppings. To keep it vegan, we’re using my Vegan Cashew Ricotta! We’re going to spread the entire dough (leaving a tiny bit of room for the crust) with the stuff. I was so tickled with the texture of this baked “ricotta” – it dries out a bit, but it still tastes super cheesy and creamy. I have no idea how it does it, but I’m not questioning the magic. You’ll probably use half of the batch on this pizza so either make two pizzas or make Zucchini Roll-Ups, Vegan Cheese Plates, or Grilled Bread with the rest!
Next! Apples. Yep, we’re putting fruit on your pizza, and I don’t even care. It’s delicious. We’ll slice them suuuper thin so that we just get a hint of apple flavor in each bite. You’ll love the sweet contrasted with the other salty & smoky flavors. I suggest using a sweet apple like a Fuji for this!
Speaking of smoky flavors. When I first had this pizza without the prosciutto, I took one bite and knew why it called for prosciutto in the first place: it needed something smoky. Yes, it was delicious without, but to cut through the sweetness, the smokiness was definitely missing. SO that’s why I decided to use one of my favorite pizza toppings: mushrooms! Tossed in one of my favorite spices: smoked paprika! You’ll cook the mushrooms for a bit before they go on the pizza so that they’re nice and caramelized and perfectly cooked. Yummm I love.
Then you’ll top the whole thing with fried sage (aka. fall sprinkles) and a drizzle of honey (if you’re so inclined) and call it a dinner!
I know you’ll love this dinner! We pretty much devoured the whole thing the night I made it, and the leftovers were fab for lunch the next day.
With the weather getting cooler, nothing is more satisfying than a big carb hug. Make this big carb hug, friends.
Apple, Sage, & Mushroom Pizza with Vegan Ricotta
https://www.fooduzzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/apple-fried-sage-smoky-mushroom-cashew-ricotta-pizza-vegan-2.jpg
| Prep: | Cook: | Yield: 1 pizza | Total: |
A smoky, salty, sweet, and savory pizza perfect for fall! Topped with smoked paprika mushrooms, sweet apple, fried sage, and vegan ricotta!
You'll Need...
- your favorite pizza dough (I used this recipe)*
- 1 batch Vegan Cashew Ricotta (without basil)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided (plus more for the dough)
- 10-12 fresh sage leaves
- 10 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced thick
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- salt + pepper
- 1 sweet apple, sliced thin (I used fuji)**
- drizzle of honey, optional [not vegan]
Directions
- Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add your sage leaves and fry until crispy, using tongs to flip the leaves if necessary. Remove the leaves with tongs and place them on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with salt.
- Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the same skillet over medium heat. Add your mushrooms and smoked paprika, and sauté for 5 minutes. You want them to be slightly caramelized but not totally 100% cooked (they'll finish cooking in the oven). Salt and pepper your mushrooms after they're cooked and remove from the heat.
- Assemble your pizza: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Oil a baking sheet with olive oil. Spread your pizza dough out on the oiled baking sheet.
- Spread your dough with the cashew ricotta, leaving a bit of room around the outside for the crust. Top with your apple slices, cooked mushrooms, and fried sage. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil (this will help the crust brown), and bake for 20 minutes.
- Drizzle with honey before serving if desired!
Additional Notes
*Use gluten free dough if necessary! If you're using a gluten free crust mix, you should probably follow the instructions on the box/bag rather than my baking instructions.
**If you cut your apple a bit before you're ready to assemble everything, throw the apple slices in a bowl of water and squeeze some lemon juice over the top to prevent browning.
Fall PIZZA!! Yes yes please! Of course I love pizza – because I’m a human – but I’m loving the sound of this combo! Can’t wait to try :)
THE BEST, Liz! Seriously. :)
This looks great. Pizza is already the perfect food. Ergonomically and nutritionally designed as such, but this looks great.
For sure it is! Thanks, Ben :)
This pizza sounds so amazing, Alexa! Love all those fall flavas <3 You need to give Simple Mills almond flour pizza mix a try – I had it for the first time last week and it is SO GOOD. I was super impressed.
Amazing and healthy recipe for pizza :) loved it and I will definitely be going to try this. pictures are also so mouth watering OMG! Thanks for sharing this :)
It’s so good, Claire! Especially for this time of year :)
Yum. This pizza is definitely my cup of tea, Alexa. Especially when prepared with a homemade dough like yours! Can I drizzle maple syrup instead of honey?
I made this for dinner and it’s the most amazing combination of flavors ever!
This is the newest recipe I’m trying out as we continue to make and eat all things Fooduzzi. Literally can’t wait to try this (waiting for the oven to heat right now) because every “random” combination of ingredients you put together always ends up being a party in my mouth.