Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On a clean surface layout the pizza dough, and cut into 5 x 5 inch squares. Set aside.
3. Chop cured meats into 1x1 inch pieces and combine with pesto, bell pepper, olives, onion, and cheese in medium sized bowl. Stir until combined.
4. Add roughly two tablespoons of pesto mixture to the center of each of each dough square.
5. Pull all four corners of the dough square over the filling and pinch to seal. If there is access dough at the seal trim off using kitchen scissors. Be cautious to keep the filling sealed in completely.
6. Using baker’s twine to wrap the dough ball around starting at the base and ending at the seal. Repeat this wrap four times.  The goal is to wrap the twine in order to create budged sections to resemble a pumpkin. Keep the twine taught, but do not split the dough ball open. Face each dough pumpkin with the seal facing down.
7. In a separate bowl whisk egg yolk and paprika, then using a brush generously coat the outside of the dough pumpkin. This will help prevent form burning, and color the pumpkin an orange hue.
8. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, turning the pumpkins every ten minutes. Allow five minutes to cool prior removing from tray and snipping the twine.
9. Garnish each pumpkin with fresh basil to resemble a stem and serve immediately.