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Portuguese Autumn Pizza with Roasted Chestnuts & Spiced Chouriço

A cozy, autumn-inspired pizza featuring roasted chestnuts, spiced chouriço, and a touch of burgundy-hued pimentão sauce.

Total: 2 hours 30 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Serves: 4
pizza Portuguese autumn chestnut spiced roasted multi-step

What Makes This Special

This pizza is a celebration of Portuguese autumn, weaving together the earthy sweetness of roasted chestnuts, the bold spice of chouriço, and the deep burgundy tones of a spiced pimentão sauce. Roasting chestnuts brings out their creamy texture, perfectly balancing the smokiness of the sausage and the tangy cheese. It’s a warming, inviting pizza that offers a taste of Portugal’s fall harvest and culinary traditions.

Ingredients

Each ingredient is selected to bring out the essence of a Portuguese autumn. Chestnuts provide sweetness and texture, while pimentão (smoked paprika) and chouriço offer warm spice and color. The cheese ties everything together with savory richness, and the dough is crisp yet tender.

For the Pizza Dough

  • Bread flour: For structure and chew.
  • Yeast: For rise and flavor.
  • Salt: For flavor balance.
  • Water & olive oil: For hydration and a tender crumb.

For the Toppings

  • Chestnuts: Roasted for sweetness and authentic autumn flavor.
  • Portuguese chouriço: Adds spice, smokiness, and traditional flair.
  • Queijo da Ilha: A sharp, aged cheese typical in Portuguese cuisine.
  • Red onion & bell pepper: For color, sweetness, and freshness.
  • Spiced pimentão sauce: Layers in burgundy hue and autumnal spices.

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Pizza Dough

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 250 g bread flour and 5 g salt.
  2. Dissolve 5 g instant dry yeast in 165 ml lukewarm water. Let sit 2 minutes.
  3. Pour water/yeast mixture into the flour. Add 15 ml olive oil.
  4. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand (8-10 minutes) or with a stand mixer and dough hook (5 minutes) until smooth and elastic.
  5. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, until doubled in size.

Why this matters: A slow, careful rise develops flavor and makes the dough easier to stretch.

Step 2: Roast the Chestnuts

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C (fan 180°C).
  2. Slice a small cross into each chestnut (if using fresh). Place on a baking tray.
  3. Roast for 20–25 minutes, until shells curl and nuts are fragrant.
  4. While still warm, peel chestnuts and roughly chop. Set aside.

Why this matters: Roasting chestnuts enhances their creamy, nutty flavor—an essential autumnal note.

Step 3: Make the Spiced Pimentão Sauce

  1. In a small saucepan, warm 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
  2. Add 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, and a pinch of chili flakes (if using). Stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Pour in 200 ml passata and 1/4 tsp dried oregano. Simmer uncovered 8–10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Season with salt to taste.

Why this matters: Gently blooming the spices in oil unlocks deep, complex autumnal flavors.

Step 4: Prepare the Toppings

  1. Thinly slice the chouriço, red onion, and bell pepper.
  2. Grate or shred the Queijo da Ilha cheese.
  3. Roughly chop the roasted chestnuts if not already done.

Step 5: Shape the Pizza Base

  1. Dust your work surface with flour.
  2. Turn out the risen dough and gently press out the air. Shape into a ball and rest for 5 minutes.
  3. Stretch or roll the dough into a 30 cm round (about 0.5 cm thick). If sticky, dust with a little flour.

Tip: Don’t overwork the dough; gentle stretching keeps it airy.

Step 6: Assemble the Pizza

  1. Place the dough onto a baking paper-lined tray or a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal.
  2. Spread a thin, even layer of spiced pimentão sauce over the base.
  3. Scatter half the cheese, followed by chouriço, roasted chestnuts, onion, and pepper.
  4. Top with remaining cheese.

Step 7: Bake

  1. Preheat oven to 250°C (or highest setting) with a pizza stone or heavy baking tray inside.
  2. Slide pizza (with parchment) onto the hot stone/tray.
  3. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until edges are golden and cheese is bubbling.

Step 8: Finish and Serve

  1. Let the pizza rest 3 minutes. Scatter with fresh parsley before slicing.
  2. Enjoy warm, savoring the interplay of sweet, spicy, and smoky flavors!

Pro Tips

  • Let dough rest after shaping: If it resists stretching, let it relax 5 minutes—this prevents tearing.
  • Roast chestnuts while dough rises: Saves time and uses oven heat efficiently.
  • Use high heat for pizza: A very hot oven creates a crisp, airy crust and perfectly melted cheese.

Troubleshooting

Dough is too sticky? Add a little more flour and knead until just tacky, not dry.

Crust too pale or soggy? Ensure oven is fully preheated and bake directly on a hot stone or heavy tray.

Chestnuts hard to peel? Peel while still warm, and cut a deep cross before roasting.

Variations

  • Vegetarian: Skip chouriço and add sautéed wild mushrooms for a savory twist.
  • Cheese swap: Try São Jorge, aged Manchego, or an extra-aged Gouda for different flavor profiles.
  • Herbaceous: Add torn fresh sage or thyme with the toppings for extra autumnal aroma.

Storage

Store leftover pizza slices, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot oven (200°C) for 5–7 minutes to restore crispness. Roasted chestnuts can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated until needed.

This pizza is a conversation between tradition and season, perfect for sharing on crisp autumn evenings. Enjoy discovering the warmth and depth of Portuguese flavors at home!