Take Brussels sprouts from unloved winter vegetable to luxurious seasonal pizza topping by pairing the chargrilled greens with a lemon-scented mascarpone and hearty apple-bacon jam laced with cinnamon. Perfect for Fall gatherings, this pizza recipe was created by NYC pizzaiolo Josh Watkins.
Ingredients
Makes 1x 12”/16” pizza
250/330g (8.8/11.6oz) classic pizza dough
50g (1.8oz) mozzarella, torn into small pieces
125g (4.4oz) ricotta
55g (2oz) mascarpone
1 tsp black pepper
5 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and leaves removed
1 clove garlic, crushed (minced)
Salt and pepper
For the apple-bacon jam
450g (16oz) bacon, cut into small pieces
300g (10.5oz) apples, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed (minced)
1 large onion, diced
60ml (2oz) bourbon
3 tbsp water
50g (1.8oz) brown sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1½ tbsp cinnamon
Method
Prepare your pizza dough ahead of time. Our guide to making the perfect Classic Pizza Dough covers everything you need to know.
To make the apple-bacon jam, place a saucepan on a hob (stovetop), and cook the bacon over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes, or until the fat has rendered out of the bacon.
Drain off some of the bacon fat, and add the apples, onion and garlic. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for another 10 minutes, or until the ingredients have softened.
Add the bourbon, water, brown sugar, molasses and cinnamon. Turn the heat down to low and simmer the mixture for another 30 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced and the mixture has the consistency of a rustic jam. Set aside.
Note that this recipe makes a large quantity of jam, so you can store any extra in an airtight container in the fridge.
Next, prepare the pizza toppings. Place a saucepan on a hob (stovetop), add a little olive oil, then add the Brussels sprouts and garlic, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sauté over a medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes, or until the leaves have charred and softened slightly. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, mascarpone and black pepper. Set aside.
Fire up your Ooni pizza oven. Aim for 500˚C (932˚F) on the stone baking board inside. You can check the temperature inside your oven quickly and easily using the Ooni Infrared Thermometer.
Using a small amount of flour, dust your Ooni pizza peel. Stretch the pizza dough ball out to 12”/16” and lay it out on your pizza peel. Spoon over little dollops of the ricotta mixture, then top with the mozzarella, Brussels sprouts, and teaspoonfuls of the apple-bacon jam.
Slide the pizza off the peel and into your Ooni pizza oven, making sure to rotate the pizza regularly.
Once cooked, remove the pizza from the oven. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve straight away.
