Sweet Potato Pizza Pie

Sometimes when things go on sale at the grocery store I get excited. Really excited. Like buying pounds and pounds of sweet potatoes for dirt cheap just because I can excited.

Then I find myself in a predicament like I’m in now. Pretty much the antithesis of a potato famine, which is why I’m having to get creative with how I use sweet potatoes! Get ready for lots of fun recipes, kids!

The first thing I dreamed up was a sweet potato pizza crust, and I have to say, it turned out pretty well!

Sweet Potato Pizza Crust

(for two pizzas crusts)

• 3.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 packet yeast
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 cup sweet potato puree
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Sprinkle the yeast over the hot water and let it bloom (it’ll look slightly foamy on top). Add the whole wheat flour, sweet potato puree, sea salt and olive oil and combine. If you have a Kitchen Aid mixer, you can use your dough hook and knead it for five to ten minutes. If not, knead by hand. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a dish cloth, and let rise for an hour or so. Divide the dough in half and enjoy! The dough also freezes well, too.

The dough is wonderful because the natural sweetness from the sweet potatoes add a subtle sweetness to the dough. Plus you sneak a little vegetable in your pizza crust! But don’t worry, no one would be able to tell. My "I don’t like sweet potatoes" husband liked the crust quite well.

For toppings we decided to go a little earthy and a little gourmet, and contrast creamy, tangy, chewy, soft, peppery and sweet.

• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (brushed over crust)
• 1/2 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1/2 cup packed arugula
• 1-2 Tablespoons julienned sun dried tomatoes (mine were oil-free)
• 1-2 Tablespoons chevre (goat cheese)
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• local wildflower honey

Yes, honey! I know, crazy! I would have never dreamed of adding honey to pizza before, but something in my mind just said it would be the perfect complement to the sweet potato crust and the other earthy and peppery flavors we had going on in the toppings. I can’t believe how much it worked! This pizza would be perfect cut into small squares for mini appetizers at a party.

Next time I would roll out the pizza crust very, very thin, to further optimize the crust to topping ratio. Instead of using garlic powder, I would also make a paste with lots of roasted garlic, olive oil and a little kosher salt. I unfortunately just did not have the time to make the roasted garlic paste this time. Still though – it was QUITE delicious.

Give it a try, or let me know what other flavor combinations you’d use on a sweet potato crust!