Pizza with Yellow Squash, Ricotta, Bee Pollen, Mustard Seed, and Calendula
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough ball (either basic pizza dough or 2-hour pizza dough is fine)
- 1 small yellow squash
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (rice wine or champagne vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup ricotta
- 3 ounces mozzarella, cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon bee pollen
- 1 to 2 small edible flowers
Instructions
Roast the squash:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with your pizza stone inside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Trim the top and bottom off the yellow squash. Using a mandoline (or a very sharp knife), thinly slice the squash lengthwise.
- Toss the squash slices with enough olive oil to generously coat, along with salt and pepper to taste.
- Arrange the squash slices in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and beginning to brown on a few edges, turning once halfway through.
- As soon as the squash is done, remove it from the oven and turn the heat up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare the mustard-seed topping:
- While the squash roasts, put the 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1/4 cup of water, and a pinch of salt in a very small pot.
- Cook over very low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. The mustard seeds should become tender, and the other ingredients will form a gooey coating. As the mixture cools, the coating will thicken.
- Note: this makes about twice as much mustard topping as you need, but it’s very difficult to make in a smaller quantity.
Season the ricotta:
- Mix the 1/4 cup of ricotta with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust, if necessary.
Prepare and bake the pizza:
- Stretch the dough to an approximately 12” round. Brush with olive oil.
- Arrange the mozzarella evenly over the crust, then spread the roasted squash slices on top.
- Add the seasoned ricotta in medium-sized dollops.
- Bake the pizza until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden-brown, turning once halfway through.
- When the pizza is done, add half of the mustard-seed mixture in small dollops. Sprinkle the pizza with the 1 teaspoon of bee pollen, pull the petals off the edible flowers and sprinkle them on top, then enjoy.