An eggnog/butternut squash pizza crust topped with prosciutto, goat cheese, and fig jam
I wish I had some sort of clever little story about how this pizza came to be. The plain fact is that my son found half gallons of eggnog for 50 cents after Christmas last year and I figured I'd get one and play around with it. I also had the Strategic Winter Squash Reserve staring at me balefully, wanting to be included in everything. So, since I had my 'shred a butternut squash' epiphany, I decided I'd put some in pizza crusts. That worked out just fine, so I cast a wider net. I figured the color of the butternut squash would only enhance an eggnog crust (whereas beets or kale in an eggnog crust would be . . . . just wrong). I knew the eggnog would make a slightly sweet crust, and I love sweet and salty blends, so perhaps this is the right time to try my favorite combo: prosciutto, goat cheese, and fig jam. [That combo comes directly from a George Foreman grill cookbook--put that in a panini and smash it and you are in for a real treat.]
This crust is a marvel. It's pillowy and soft thanks to the dairy, yet it bakes up firm enough to stand up like a regular slice of pizza. It's very slightly sweet. [If you're wanting a dessert pizza crust using eggnog, add a tablespoon or two of sugar to the crust, and sweet toppings.] My topping combo totally works with this crust--perhaps even better than on a plain crust. It is delicious and if you find yourself with some butternut squash (leftover roasted mashed would also work fine) and a spare half cup of eggnog, give this a try. It's a StrangeButGood combination!
I've revamped my Visual Recipe Index! For more ideas on what to do with your butternut squash, click here.
