Spicy Pizza Sausage Recipes

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.

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.

GRILLED PIZZA WITH SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar in a food processor. Sprinkle yeast over; let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add oil, then 3 cups flour and salt. Process until dough comes together, about 1 minute.
• Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Sprinkle with rosemary. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky, about 5 minutes.Lightly oil large bowl. Add dough; turn to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic, then towel. Let stand in warm draft-free area until dough doubles, about 1 hour. To test that the dough has risen sufficiently, push two fingers into it. The depressions should remain.
• Punch down dough. Knead dough in bowl until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Stretch out each piece on floured surface to 9-inch round. To prevent the dough from sticking as you stretch it, use flour sparingly; too much will result in a tough crust.
• Toppings
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausages
• 2 yellow or red bell peppers, cored, lengthwise
• 1 large red onion, peeled, cut through root end into 1/2-inch thick wedges
• Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Let vinaigrette stand 15 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Arrange sausages, peppers and onion on baking sheet. Brush with some of vinaigrette. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill sausages until cooked through and peppers and onion until slightly charred and crisp-tender, turning and basting occasionally, about 12 minutes for sausages and 8 minutes for peppers and onion.
• Transfer sausages and vegetables to cutting board. Cut sausages into 1/2-inch pieces and peppers into thin strips.
• Final preparation
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups crumbled chilled soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet)
• 4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped green onion tops Add coals to barbecue if necessary. Place 2 dough rounds on grill. Grill over medium heat until top of dough puffs and underside is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn rounds over. Grill 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet with well-grilled side up. This side of the dough becomes the surface that will hold the toppings.
• Repeat with the remaining 2 dough rounds. Sprinkle each with 1/4 of mozzarella and Parmesan. Top each with 1/4 of sausage, peppers and onion, then with 1/4 of goat cheese, tomatoes and green onions. Drizzle each with 1 1/2 teaspoons vinaigrette.
• Using large metal spatula, return 2 pizzas to grill. Close grill or cover pizzas loosely with foil. Grill until cheeses melt and dough is cooked through and browned, using tongs to rotate pizzas for Transfer to plates. Repeat grilling for remaining 2 pizzas.