If you're looking for new pizza ideas, this homemade pizza recipe features a store-bought crust, topped with a savory pizza sauce based in pumpkin puree and caramelized onions.
Allow fresh pizza dough to proof (rise) at room temperature for one hour.
Preheat oven to 500 or 550°, if using a pizza stone. If using a metal baking pan, preheat to 400°. Preheat stone or metal pan in the oven.
Combine butter and olive oil in large skillet and melt over medium-low heat. Slice onion, at least 1/8" thick and place in skillet. Stir onion slices, over heat for about 45 minutes until brown, soft and nicely caramelized.
Add pumpkin to skillet along with thyme leaves, sugar, and milk. Stir pizza sauce and add Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and stir in garlic and diced shallot.
Place pizza dough on large sheet of parchment paper (big enough to fit your pizza stone or pan). Roll out dough to approximate dimensions of pizza stone or pan. Gently crimp edge of the dough and the edge with a dab of olive oil.
Evenly spread pumpkin pizza sauce on the pizza dough. Sprinkle top with arugula leaves, add as many or as few as you like. Cover top with shredded Gouda cheese.
While pizza is baking, place 1 tablespoon olive oil in small skillet and heat over medium heat. Place fresh sage leaves in hot oil, a few at a time, for no longer than 30 seconds. Remove with spoon and allow to drain on paper towel.
Use a pizza peel to slide parchment paper and unbaked pizza onto hot pizza stone or pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Check the bottom of the crust. If it seems done, remove at that time. If it needs another minute or two in the oven, continue to bake and monitor until done.
Remove pizza from oven, allow to rest at least five minutes and then garnish with crispy sage.
Notes
Drizzle each slice of this homemade pizza with balsamic oil and evenly add a pinch of kosher salt.