Fennel And Sausage Pizza Food

FENNEL AND SAUSAGE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Toss fennel and onion slices with olive oil; spread out on the baking sheet.
• Roast in the preheated oven until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Cook and stir sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a pizza pan or clean baking sheet. Spread sauce on top and cover with mozzarella cheese. Top with fennel, onion, sausage, and garlic slices.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, 15 to 17 minutes. Garnish with chopped fennel fronds.

CAST-IRON PIZZA WITH FENNEL AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Place a rack in top-most position of oven; preheat to 475°F. Place dough on a work surface; drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil, turning to coat. Stretch out to a 10" round and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Cook sausage, breaking up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned in spots and cooked though, 5-8 minutes. Transfer sausage to a small bowl.
• Remove skillet from heat and carefully lay dough inside (use spoon to help you extend dough all the way to the edges). Season with salt, then spread marinara over entire surface of dough. Top with mozzarella, then fennel, garlic, and cooked sausage. Drizzle with another 2 Tbsp. oil. Peek underneath the crust-the bottom should be golden brown and crisp from residual heat in the skillet. If it's not, set over medium-low and cook until crust is golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer skillet to oven and bake pizza on top rack until crust is golden brown around the edges and cheese is browned in spots and bubbling all over, 10-14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then top with red pepper flakes and basil. Sprinkle with more salt and drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil.

SWEET ITALIAN FENNEL SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a bowl combine the pork, curing salt, black pepper, fennel seeds, garlic, sugar and cayenne pepper. Mix to make sure seasonings are well distributed throughout the pork. Freeze for 30 minutes.
• To prepare the forcemeat, pass the mixture through a meat grinder using the large hole plate. Transfer to an electric mixer, using the paddle on the lowest speed, and mix for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and slowly add the stock and mix for 2 minutes. Switch to high speed and mix for 30 seconds.
• To form the sausages, place about a cup of forcemeat in a 12 by 16-inch piece of plastic wrap. Shape into a 1 1/2 by 8-inch sausage and wrap with the plastic to a tight roll. Tie both ends by forming a knot. Wrap again in aluminum foil. Repeat the process until all forcemeat is used.
• In a large saute pan bring court bouillon to a simmer. Poach the prepared sausages for 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Allow to cool and unwrap sausages. In a cast iron pan, over high heat, saute the sausages in olive oil until nicely browned. Slice and serve with honey mustard and minced onion.

RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE & FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and saute for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook for one minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the side.

ITALIAN FENNEL SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine salt, fennel seed and red-pepper flakes. Add pork to the spice mixture along with the garlic, and wine. Using your hands, mix thoroughly for 1 full minute, until the pork begins to appear tacky and sticks to the palm of your hand.
• Heat a cast-iron pan over medium heat. Use a heaping tablespoon of pork mixture to make a small, thin sausage patty. Add a teaspoon or so of olive oil, and cook the patty for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Taste, and if needed, add salt or any other seasonings to the uncooked sausage mixture and mix to combine.
• Divide and form the remaining sausage into 8 2 1/2-inch patties, placing them on the prepared baking sheet as you go. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. (Patties can be made ahead and covered and refrigerated or frozen at this point until ready to use.)
• To cook, wipe out cast-iron pan, and return to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When it shimmers, add patties in a single layer, leaving space between them. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned on the surface and just cooked through.
• Drain sausages on paper towels, and serve hot.

ORECCHIETTE WITH FENNEL AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 3-quart sauté pan on medium-low. Add the sausages and cook, turning frequently, until browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove sausages to a cutting board. Add fennel seeds to the pan, cook until fragrant, then add fresh fennel, onion and garlic. Sauté until translucent and just starting to color, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt. Turn off heat.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 13 to 15 minutes. As the pasta cooks, quarter the sausages lengthwise, then slice 1/2-inch thick. Add sausage to the sauté pan and heat on medium-low. Stir in mascarpone and season generously with pepper. Add 1/2 cup pasta water. Stir and continue heating gently. Mince 2 tablespoons of reserved fennel fronds.
• When the pasta is done, reserve another 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain pasta - you don't have to be utterly thorough about it - and add it to the sauté pan along with enough additional pasta water for a mixture that's quite moist but not soupy. Check seasoning, fold in parsley and fennel fronds, and transfer to a serving dish, individual plates or bowls. Serve with pecorino alongside.