Butternut Squash & Cardamom
Greek yogurt & feta sauce, butternut squash & red onion with spices (nigella seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric), pumpkin seeds, diced jalapeño
This recipe was adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty More. It was the first time we had discovered the smoky, toasted onion flavor of nigella seeds, and we couldn’t wait to make it again on a pizza. You can find the seeds at most spice stores, or order them online, but if don’t feel like searching all over for them, you could go with black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or even dried onion flakes.
Recipe
Ingredients: 1 ball of dough flour for dusting semolina flour for pizza stone olive oil salt & pepper ¾ cup Greek yogurt ½ cup crumbled feta 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
For the spiced vegetables (this will make more than you need for a pizza, so feel free to cut it down): 1 ½ tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 red onion, halved & thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups) 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cubed 3 ½ teaspoons pumpkin seeds 1 tsp nigella seeds (see note above if you can’t find them) ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon coriander ¼ teaspoon turmeric 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed 1 large cinnamon stick 1 tablespoon sugar 1 cup vegetable stock 1 jalapeño, seeded & diced
Directions: Preheat your oven to 425° F. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, then add the onion. Fry for about 8 minutes, until soft.
Add the squash to the pan and increase the heat to medium high. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is just starting to brown.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the pepitas, nigella seeds, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, sugar, jalapeño & about ¾ teaspoon salt.
Mix everything together well and transfer the mixture to a large rimmed baking sheet, spreading everything out so it fits in a single layer. Make sure there’s a good lip on the baking sheet (or just use a baking dish), because now you’re going to pour the stock over everything, and you don’t want it to all spill off.
Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the squash is tender. Take it out and let it rest for a bit so the squash can continue absorbing the liquid, and increase the oven temperature to 550° F, or as hot as it will go.
Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce by stirring together the Greek yogurt, feta & cilantro.
Prepare your dough by using the instructions on the right. Once you’ve baked it for a minute in the hot oven, take it out and brush it lightly with olive oil. Spread out an even layer of the yogurt sauce, then top with your vegetable mixture. You can also sprinkle a few more nigella seeds on top for good measure.
Now pop your pizza in the oven and bake until the crust is a nice golden brown, then take it out and enjoy!