Kale Pesto Tortilla Pizza with Delicata Squash and Mushrooms

Savoury pesto with kale, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes and creamy walnuts spread on a tortilla topped with sweet roasted delicata squash, umami packed mushrooms and sharp cheddar, then baked until warm and toasty.

The puddles were frozen this morning, and the grass covered in a blanket of crunchy crystalline frost. The winter solstice is rapidly approaching and farmers market vegetables are quickly decreasing in variety. Some days it feels as though kale is the only green thing I will ever see again. This kale pesto was the result of an attempt to branch out from the regular old kale and eggs that we eat most days.

A meal or snack for those days when you need food asap. I make large batches of pesto and store them in the freezer for emergency meals, but feel free to use any pesto you have on hand and you will not be disappointed. Roast some squash and sautée mushrooms ahead of time and this meal is ready in minutes.

I often want pizza, but not necessarily the bready crust (that could change if / when we build a wood fire pizza oven … dare to dream). Much like flat bread pizza, this tortilla pizza is baked directly on the oven rack resulting in a thin crispy vessel to deliver these tasty toppings directly to your mouth hole.

Delicata squash is without a doubt among my favourite winter squash. This is mainly due to the fact that you can eat the skin… NO PEELING, no separating sweet orange flesh from leathery rind… simply cut it up, cook it up and eat it as is! If you don’t have any delicata squash hanging around you can use roasted sweet potatoes or any other squash you like.

Kale Pesto Tortilla Pizza with Delicata Squash and Mushrooms

yields: 4 9″ tortilla pizzas

Ingredients

• 4 9″ Tortillas (I used Ezekiel sprouted grain tortillas #notsponsored)
• 1 cup Grated aged cheddar (or whichever cheese you have on hand)
• 1 cup Kale pesto (recipe below)
• 1 Roasted Delicata squash (recipe below)
• 1 lb. Sautéed mushrooms (recipe below)

Pre heat oven to 400°F.

Divide pesto between the 4 tortillas and spread evenly. Top with mushrooms, delicata and cheese.

Bake directly on oven rack for 6-8 minutes, until edges are crispy and cheese is melty.

Kale Pesto

yields: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1/2 bunch Kale, stems removed and roughly chopped (about 3-4 packed cups)
• 1/3 cup Kalamata olives (pits removed)
• 1/2 cup Walnuts
• 1/4 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (soak in hot water for 30 minutes – if using tomatoes packed in oil skip this step)
• 1/4 cup Olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add chopped kale and let cook 2 minute. Drain and submerge in cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and squeeze out as much water as possible.

In a food processor, pulse all ingredients until finely chopped (about 2 minutes), adding a little more oil if necessary.

Roasted Decliata Squash

Ingredients

• 1 Delicata squash
• 1 tsp. Olive oil

Pre heat oven to 400°F.

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Cut into 1/2″ half moons, then roughly chop into bite sized pieces. Toss in oil and bake for 30 minutes, until browned and cooked through.

Sautéed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Mushrooms (I used crimini)
• 2-4 tsp. Olive oil

Slice mushrooms.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, in a single layer, cooking in several batches if necessary. Cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, flip and cook another 3-5 minutes. Repeat process until all mushrooms are browned.