Sweet Potato and Bacon Pizza

Chef John’s sweet potato and bacon pizza is perfectly balanced, with sharp lemon, savory bacon, spicy jalapeno, and a kiss of rosemary to contrast with rich sweet potato.

Prep Time: 40 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Cool Time: 15 mins

Rise Time: 8 hrs

Stand Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 10 hrs 45 mins

Servings: 10

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 10 servings

No-Knead Pizza Dough

• 1 2/3 cups lukewarm water (400 grams)
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 4 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Sweet Potato Spread

• 2 1/2 cups mashed orange-fleshed sweet potato (from about 3 sweet potatoes)
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 rounded tablespoon minced rosemary
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

To Assemble Pizza

• 12 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, to grease pan
• 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated 
• 2 ounces fontina cheese, grated 
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

Directions

1. For dough, mix yeast and water and let stand for 10 minutes. Add flour and salt, and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes to form a soft, sticky dough. Scrape down sides of bowl, cover, and let rise in a cool spot until doubled in size, 8 to 12 hours.
2. Use a wet hand to deflate and de-gas the dough, and form into a ball. Cover and store in the refrigerator until needed. 
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Pierce sweet potatoes with a knife and place on a baking sheet.
4. Roast in the preheated oven until soft, about 1 hour. Let cool until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
5. Scoop sweet potato flesh into a bowl—you will need about 2 1/2 cups. Add salt, black pepper, cayenne, olive oil, rosemary, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and mash until smooth. Stir in Parmigiano Reggiano, and taste for seasoning. Set aside.
6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (235 degrees C).
7. Add bacon to a cold, dry, nonstick skillet. Place over medium-high heat, and cook, separating bacon pieces with tongs, until almost crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels; set aside.
8. To assemble pizza, pour olive oil on a sheet pan and spread over evenly; place on dough, and use oiled hands to press out to the edges. If dough is very elastic, let dough rest and relax for a few minutes, then continue to stretch. Repeat this process as needed to stretch dough to cover the pan.
9. Dollop sweet potato mixture onto dough; Spread a thin layer over crust with the back of a spoon. Top evenly with mozzarella, bacon, fontina, and jalapenos. Finish with another dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano.
10. Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden, and cheese is browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven; cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a board and slice with a pizza cutter.Chef’s NoteIf your pizza is browned on top, but the bottom needs more color. Place pizza back on sheet pan, and place over a stove burner set to medium-high heat. Let the bottom crust toast for a minute, constantly moving the pan around so that it heats evenly.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)