16 Pumpkin Thai Chicken Pizza

Three years ago when we moved to the tiny island of Guam our small condo looked out over the clear calm waters of Agana Bay which led out to the Philippine Sea.  The flat bottomed rain clouds towered up over the open ocean, not a trace of land in sight.  When we walked out the back of the building a pack of wild dogs trotted by, giving us the hairy eye ball.  We walked past the cinder block remains of an old building slowly being reclaimed by the jungle, a toilet sitting bare on the roof.  A few chickens pecked through the overgrown grass.  We walked passed the old korean restaurant and bar, and into a tiny Thai restaurant.  I'd never tried Thai before and had no idea what to order, but I watched the old woman in the open kitchen throwing things into a sizzling pan and it smelled like heaven.

This started my love affair with Thai food.

I was trying to think of ways to jazz up pumpkin, pumpkin needs to be jazzy - it needs accessories, and this hit me!  I swear food ideas come to me at the strangest times...I've started carrying a little book to jot them down.  Does that make me a real foodie?

Spicy, sweet, savory, oh my yes.  The cilantro is key, don't leave out the cilantro!  I guess if you hate it, (which I heard is genetic) you could substitute parsley or thai basil, yum!

Anyways, you have to try this pizza!  Be bold.

Pumpkin Thai Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough, prepared
1 15 oz can Pure Pumpkin
1 Tablespoon Chili Garlic Sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon Thai Red Curry paste
1 chicken breast from a rotisserie chicken, shredded
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
2 thin slices of onion, chopped
handful fresh cilantro chopped

1.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  In a large bowl mix together the pumpkin, chili garlic sauce, salt and pepper.

2.  In another smaller bowl mix together the cut chicken, curry paste and lime juice.  Mix together until the chicken is evenly coated with the red curry paste.

3.  Flour your surface and roll out the prepared pizza dough.  Sprinkle the pizza stone or cookie sheet with corn meal and place the dough on the sheet/stone.  Evenly spread the pumpkin mixture on the dough leaving about an inch bare for the crust.  Sprinkle the chicken on top of the pumpkin mixture and evenly place the onion slices on the chicken.

4.  Finally sprinkle with cheese and bake for 16-18 minutes until cheese has melted and crust is a light golden brown.

5.  While it's baking chop or tear the cilantro.  After you take the pizza out and it's cooled sprinkle the cilantro over it and serve.  Enjoy!