Pizza Bianca with Potatoes, Zucchini & Mushrooms

Pizza Friday just got a summer makeover! This veggie forward pizza with white sauce is a delish way to use up that extra summer squash and potato harvest. Keep it vegetarian or add Italian sausage if you like. We recommend pairing with bubbles as an app, or try with our Pinot Noir for a meal!

Pizza Bianca with Potatoes, Zucchini & Mushrooms

Serves 4-6

Recipe by Tanya Miller

INGREDIENTS:

Pizza dough - store bought or homemade, at room temp
¼ c 50/50 mix of flour and cornmeal or semolina flour (for under crust)
3 small or 2 regular zucchini or yellow squash, very thinly sliced (mandoline recommended)
2 Yukon gold potatoes, very thinly sliced (mandoline recommended)
Assorted mushrooms - we used a one pkg each of cremini, oyster and shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 c fontina cheese, grated
½ c heavy cream
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
1 Tbsp goat cheese
1-2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp Montreal seasoning (or salt & pepper)
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary & thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper
High heat oil, such as avocado oil
Extra virgin olive oil
Optional: ⅓ lb Italian sausage
Garnish:
- Red pepper flakes, if desired
- Fresh arugula
- Pecorino cheese, shaved

UNUSUAL TOOLS NEEDED:

Pizza stone

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425°. Place mushrooms on a sheet pan and toss with ~2 Tbsp of high heat oil. Sprinkle on 1 tsp Montreal seasoning and a tsp or so of fresh thyme. You can also add a couple little dollops of butter for a little extra delicious flavor. Roast for about 10-15 min. Watch closely after 10 min. Remove from oven once edges begin to crisp.
If using, brown Italian sausage in a preheated medium frying pan over medium high heat until cooked through. Remove sausage & set aside. Sauté potatoes and rosemary (in same pan). You can use the remaining oil or remove it and use olive oil and/or butter. Cook until just golden brown and tender. Remove from pan, set aside, and do the same to the zucchini. Season each veg with approx ½ tsp salt and pepper or Montreal seasoning. Set aside. The above can all be done up to one day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temp before building pizza.
Make the cream sauce: In a small saucepan, add heavy cream, butter, goat cheese, and garlic. If you are using sausage, add ¼ tsp salt. If omitting sausage, add ½ tsp salt. Mix together and simmer on low-med heat for about 10 min or until it thickens a bit, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
When all ingredients are ready, preheat a pizza stone and grill or oven to 425°. Prepare pizza dough (see link below). If you are a seasoned pizza maker, placing dough on a pizza peel works great. If not, we’ve found it helpful to place shaped dough on an inverted sheet pan. First, generously sprinkle the pizza peel or sheet pan with the 50/50 flour mix or semolina, then carefully place pizza crust on peel or pan. Spoon the cream sauce on first, next add fontina, sausage (if using), potato, summer squash and finally the mushrooms. If using peel, slide pizza onto stone. If using sheet pan and crust does stick, put the sheet pan on top of the pizza stone and cook for about 5 min or until it naturally releases itself. Once released, slide it directly on stone. Cook until pizza reaches desired doneness ~ 15-20 min, turning as needed.
Remove from heat, let rest a few minutes. Sprinkle with arugula and shaved Pecorino, plus pepper flakes. Slice, serve and enjoy with a glass of Pinot Noir or Skål - cheers!