Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash (about 1½  

   pounds), peeled, seeded, cubed

8 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided

1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly 

   sliced

Pinch of sugar

16 fresh sage leaves

Prepared pizza dough for two 12-inch pizzas

Olive oil, for brushing

1½  cups whole milk mozzarella cheese

½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese

Directions

Preheat oven (with stone on bottom rack, if using) to 425 degrees.

Toss cubed squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil; arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with coarse kosher salt. Set in oven to bake for 18-20 minutes, or until squash is fork-tender. Set aside.

Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add sliced onions and sauté slowly, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. When onions have softened, sprinkle lightly with coarse kosher salt and a pinch of sugar.  Continue to sauté until onions begin to caramelize – not burn! Set aside.

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a small pan over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add sage leaves and continue to heat until sage gets crispy.  Drain sage leaves in a sieve set over a small bowl. Transfer sage leaves to a paper towel and reserve both leaves and oil separately. 

Raise oven temperature to 500 degrees.

Roll out each ball of dough into a 12-inch circle. Place onto two pizza pans or, if using a pre-heated pizza stone, onto two sheets of parchment paper. 

Brush each crust lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle each one with half of the mozzarella cheese. Evenly arrange half of the onions, followed by half of the squash, on each pizza. 

Scatter half of crispy sage leaves followed by small dollops of ricotta cheese over each pizza.

Transfer pizza pans to oven, or slide pizzas along with the parchment paper, onto the hot stone. Bake for eight to 10 minutes, or until crust is golden and toppings are bubbling.

Drizzle each pizza with some of the reserved sage oil before cutting.

Makes two pizzas.