Sweet Potato and Bacon Pizza

For the dough, mix the yeast and lukewarm water in a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes to activate.

Add the flour and kosher salt to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes until a soft, sticky dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and let it rise in a cool place until it doubles in size (approximately 8-12 hours).

Use a wet hand to gently deflate and de-gas the dough. Form it into a ball, cover, and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the pizza.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Pierce the sweet potatoes with a knife and place them on a baking sheet.

Roast the sweet potatoes in the preheated oven until they are soft, about 1 hour. Let them cool until they are cool enough to handle (around 10 minutes).

Scoop the sweet potato flesh into a bowl (you should have about 2 1/2 cups). Add salt, black pepper, cayenne, olive oil, minced rosemary, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mash until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and taste to adjust the seasoning if necessary. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (235 degrees C).

Add the bacon pieces to a cold, dry, nonstick skillet. Place over medium-high heat and cook, separating the bacon pieces with tongs, until they are almost crisp (about 7-10 minutes). Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain; set aside.

To assemble the pizza, pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto a sheet pan and spread it evenly. Place the dough on the oiled pan, and use oiled hands to press it out to the edges. If the dough is very elastic and resists stretching, let it rest and relax for a few minutes, then continue to stretch. Repeat this process as needed to stretch the dough to cover the pan.

Dollop the sweet potato mixture onto the dough, spreading a thin layer over the crust with the back of a spoon. Top evenly with grated mozzarella, crispy bacon, grated fontina, and thinly sliced jalapenos. Finish with a dusting of 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden and the cheese is browned, approximately 30-35 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes.

Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and slice with a pizza cutter. Serve and enjoy!