Spicy Sausage Pizza Food

DEEP-DISH PIZZA WITH SPICY SAUSAGE AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Make the dough. Transfer one 1-pound ball of dough to a 9-inch round cake pan coated with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover and let the dough rise again until almost spread to the edges of the pan, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 500˚ F (use the convection setting, if available) with a pizza stone, baking steel or inverted large baking sheet in the lower third of the oven.
• Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon and let drain and cool.
• Press the dough to reach the edge of the pan, then press the dough up the sides to create a lip 1/2 to 3/4 inch higher than the center of the dough. Top with the Parmesan and sliced mozzarella, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Spread the pizza sauce over the cheese, almost to the edge, and top with the sausage, olives and the shredded mozzarella.
• Place the pan on the hot stone and bake the pizza until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then loosen the edges with a small offset spatula and remove the pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley.
• Sprinkle the yeast over the hot water in a small bowl. Let stand until dissolved and slightly foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and add the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, dust the dough with flour and knead, dusting with more flour as needed, until very smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough into two 1-pound balls. (If making sheet-pan pizza, let the dough rise, covered, on an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet coated with 3 tablespoons olive oil instead of in a bowl; do not divide into two balls.)
• If not using the dough right away, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Combine crushed tomatoes, garlic clove, olive oil, dried oregano and a pinch each of sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; season with more salt and sugar if needed. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

SPICY PIZZA SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well.
• Over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet, brown the sausage, stirring to crumble into pieces of the desired size (I like big-ish chunks rather than "gravel"), about 7 to 9 minutes.
• Drain well.
• Use on your pizza.
• Makes 5 cups (5 servings of 1 cup each, for a large pizza) of pizza sausage - you can put it into Ziplock bags and freeze them for later use, if you like.

SPICY SAUSAGE AND GORGONZOLA PIZZA

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Sauté sausage in large skillet over medium-high heat until just cooked through, breaking into 1/2-inch pieces with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Drain off fat; set sausage aside.
• Place pizza crust on rimless baking sheet. Leaving 3/4-inch plain border, spread 1 cup sauce over crust. Top with 3/4 cup mozzarella, 3/4 of basil, sausage, 1/2 cup Gorgonzola, olives, 1/2 cup mozzarella, bell pepper and 1/2 cup Gorgonzola. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup sauce over. Bake pizza until crust is crisp and topping is heated through, about 13 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining basil.

ATSA SPICY PIZZA SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
• Cook the mixture until browned, stirring to crumble it.
• Drain.
• Note, the pizza sausage can be frozen in zip bags for later use.