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It seems that whenever the seasons change and the latest fresh local produce begins to show up at the market, my crazy mind turns to
pizza! We love pizza here at The Café and when I start seeing delightful new seasonal ingredients displayed here, there and everywhere, my mind starts spinning and creating, and next thing you know we have a new favorite.
That's exactly what happened earlier this fall when I encountered the first lovely sweet potatoes at the market, piled high and crying to be transformed into something delicious (at least that's what they seemed to be saying to me)!
I filled up a bag and into my cart they went. When I got home I peeled, diced and roasted a bunch of them and made a yummy salad. With a double batch of the roasted sweet potatoes, I had a few more ideas, one of them being a pizza. I played around with the recipe for a while, making several versions, testing each one out on family and friends and tweaking it a bit here and there. It's now ready for you, and I hope you'll love it as much as we do!
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Sweet Potato and Pesto Pizza with Rosemary Braised Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 slices applewood smoked bacon, each piece cut into quarters, lenthwise
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, about 3" long
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup pecans, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon butter
- for the sweet potatoes:
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- for putting together the pizza:
- 1 ball pizza dough**
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 14.5 ounce can petite dice tomatoes, well drained
- 4 ounces Gouda cheese, shredded
- 4-6 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn in walnut size pieces
- ¼ cup pesto, purchased or homemade*
Instructions
- Sauté bacon for 5 minutes on medium low heat then add wine and rosemary. Cover and braise on low heat for about 15-20 minutes. Remove cover and pull out rosemary stems (by this time most of the tiny leaves will have fallen off and bacon will be infused with rosemary flavor.) Continue to cook until wine has evaporated and bacon becomes deep golden brown. Drain bacon on paper toweling and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°. Place pizza stone or upside down sheet pan on middle rack of oven.
- Place pecans in a small baking pan with melted butter and sea salt. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until deep golden brown, stirring every 2 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Combine sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Place sweet potato mixture on a baking sheet or small pan coated with cooking spray. Bake on upper rack for 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender and beginning to caramelize in spots. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Increase oven temperature to 475˚F.
- Roll or press out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to approximately a 14" circle. Don't worry if the shape is not perfectly round. Place a piece of parchment paper, slightly larger than your dough on a pizza peel or large cutting board. (The parchment paper will make your transfer of the pizza to the oven infinitely easier.) Sprinkle parchment paper generously with cornmeal. Fold dough in quarters and place on parchment paper, then unfold. This is when you can reshape it a bit if it has stretched into an odd shape.
- Brush dough lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with Gouda cheese. Scatter with tomatoes, bacon, sweet potatoes and fresh mozzarella.
- Slide pizza-topped parchment paper from pizza peel (or cutting board) onto heated pizza stone (or upside-down sheet pan). Bake for 8-12 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven by sliding pizza-topped parchment paper back onto cutting board. Carefully lift one edge of the pizza and pull out parchment paper.
- Combine pesto with 1 tablespoon olive oil. With a teaspoon, dollop pesto mixture over pizza. Scatter with toasted pecans.
Notes
** I love this recipe but if you don't feel like making your own, many stores sell pizza dough and lots of pizza shops will also sell you a ball of dough. I know Trader Jo's and Whole Foods both sell pizza
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Any advice on making a gluten free version?
Hi Dana, I am not an expert when it comes to GF baking, especially when it's a yeast recipe. However, my nephew, Steve, has a wonderful website that specializes in all things gluten free: https://cakesandcoriander.com
Do you add the sweet potatoes at the end?? In the directions there's only directions on cooking them...
Hi Sarah, sorry that wasn't clear. You add them with the other toppings. I clarified that in the recipe. Thanks!
Nice recipe!I love the kombination av pesto, bacon and pecan
Greetings Gosia
oh chris, just the name itself makes my mouth water! LOL! there isnt anything that i dont like in this pizza!
Your pizza is so colorful, perfect for fall!
How did you know that I love sweet potatoes and will try them in most anything? Love this recipe and the pics are gorgeous.
Such a creative pizza and love the colors. It must be delicious.
Oh Chris, this is a pizza from heaven! We have a Friday pizza night in our house, so I'll make it this friday!
I'll catch up with your previous post that I;ve missed.
Hugs Kisses
Pinned!
I see a theme with you and bacon on pizza! I like it. I wish I could have been one of your taste testers. It looks amazing.
This looks simply mouthwatering ...delicious!
Love you culinary creativity! Never thought of sweet potatoes on pizza, but why not?
Hi, your pizza look so tempting and awesome. Love the combination, it look sooo good.
Nice pictures, very well take. Your pizza picture look like 3D,almost popping out of my screen. Wish I can have 1 piece. LOL
Have a nice week ahead.
Wow Chris, this is beautiful and the flavors going on are crazy yummy! Where do you come up with the time to make all the good food you do? You're incredible!
I could eat anything and everything on a pizza crust. This really looks amazing - the colors, the flavor combination, the photos - home run all the way around!
Wow. Yum. I have never tried a pizza with pecans before. Definitely on my to-do list!!
This sounds simply delicious and just the thing of a Friday night pizza-by-the-fire for two. I love pizza, and really enjoy trying new flavours and these ingredients really have my curiosity piqued!
Chris, this is a masterpiece!!!It looks amazing!!Congrats to Scott as well, great pics!Have a blessed week, XO
Oh my, this look marvelous!!
I couldn't agree more with Kim, every single time I visit your blog, I'm fascinated with everything I find. So many original ideas, you are an artist 😉 Thanks for sharing this idea that I will be more than happy to try 😉 take care! Steph
I hope you saved me a slice...errr, make that TWO! What a great pizza, Chris...love the unusual mix of toppings; it does sound delectable!
Chris, I really think you should win a price for your originality because this pizza is so unusual yet fantastic!!!! I LOVE IT and I WILL try it!
My goodness Chris I really need to break away from my standard ham and cheese. I make pizza every Sunday night and got some lovely new flour to try this weekend. I might have to get adventurous with the toppings too.
Beautiful! I love the combination of flavors & textures on this pizza. It looks so good!
It's colorful and looks amazing. I've never had this pizza before but would love to try it 🙂
Wow! Now that is a pizza worth writing home about! I love the different flavor combinations you have put together here. I can't wait to try it.
I can't wait to make my own pizza. Putting sweet potatoes on it is an inspired idea. They're one of my favorite foods and I'm always looking for new ways to eat them.
I know what you mean about pecans Rosemary. One of my local stores had a sale and I snatched some up. I try to use them sparingly - they are like gold!
Now that is one mouth-watering pizza! So many great flavors in one. Dare I say . . . a masterpiece? I just wish I could find a deal on pecans! Lately, I've been subbing walnuts, but it's not quite the same in everything. This will be worth the splurge, I know!
Yes, Lora, I added the sweet potato to the recipe - that's what happens when you're running out the door to work and trying to get the post out at the same time! 🙂 Thanks and hope you enjoy it!
Now, that's a PIZZA! Looks gorgeous with colourful veggies and pecans. Just fantastic!
I love all of the ingredients on your gorgeous pizza, but would have never thought to add them to pizza. My hubby thinks that pizza is only cheese and sausage. I'm going to change his mind.
What awonderful, stunning & amazingly tasty pizza! So special too! 🙂
Waw!!!! The flavours go so well together too!
Waw!!!!! xxx
Yum! I am assuming that the sweet potato, an accidental ommision, was cut into small dice? Your recipes are wonderful and "the mouse" in the house makes them look even better. Can't wait for dinner tonight. I have all the fixin's in my fridge ready to go.
Pecans on Pizza? Why not? Pecans go on bread! I never thought of the combination of sweet potato and pesto together!! Wow!! This pizza looks amazing!!! I'm coming to the Cafe for lunch today, save me a piece! 🙂
I would never have thought it but those pecans look good on the pizza! sandie
Cathy, so glad you caught this, yes, roasted potatoes would not be quite the same as pecans! 🙂
Sounds completely and totally awesome! A definite must-try at our house.
Thanks,
Patti
You have combined three of my favorite foods: pizza, sweet potatoes and pecans. This is on my "must try" list. P.S. Your title gave me a chuckle...roasted potatoes...then I saw the pecans...hehe.