Sausage & Pepper Pizza Recipe

Last weekend I had a few friends over for a casual get-together. Just wanting to enjoy the time with my company - I opted for a quick and fresh dinner! When a fancy dinner just won’t do, pizza is the perfect way to have fun, be creative and get everyone involved in the cooking. Your guests can bring a favorite topping, or a salad item.

Basic Pizza Dough

Makes three 12 inch pizzas

3 ½ cups flour, sifted

1 tbs. evoo (extra virgin olive oil)

1 tbs. salt

1 ½ cups warm water

1 tbs. active dry yeast

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast in the warm water, and stir to dissolve it. Set aside until the yeast starts forming bubbles in about 5 minutes

• Sift the flour. Pour the flour into a large bowl or on a work surface. Mold the flour in a mound shape with a hole in the center

• In the center pour the yeast mix, olive oil, and a pinch of salt

• Then mix with your hands to form a dough ball

• On a floured work surface knead the dough briefly with your hands pushing and folding. Knead just long enough for the dough to take in a little more flour, and until it no longer sticking to your hands

• Coat a bowl with evoo and transfer dough into bowl

• Cover the bowl with a tea towel, and set the bowl aside for approximately 1½ – 2 hours until the dough doubles in volume. The time required for rising will depend on the strength of the yeast and the temperature of the room

• When the dough is double its original size, punch it down to eliminate the air bubbles.

• Separate the dough into three even pieces

• Using a rolling pin or your hands work the dough into the shape of your baking sheet

Pizza

4 tablespoons pizza sauce, I tried Casa Visco

1/2 a medium bell pepper julienned

1/2 white button mushrooms, chopped

3 hot sausages, casing removed

1 cup shredded 2% mozzarella

1/3 cup kalamata olives

• Pre-heat oven to 450-475 degrees

• Julienne pepper, chop mushroom, and de-pit olives

• Remove casing from sausage and break a part with fingers

• In a non stick skillet pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• Brown the meat and continue to break apart with a spatula

• Roll out dough on a lightly flowered surface

• Remove sausage and drain on a plate lined with paper towel

• Put together pizza- start with sauce, then meat, veggies and finish with cheese

• Bake for 7-8 minutes

• Let rest for 3 minutes before cutting

Serve with a garden salad in pretty bowl, like our new colored bamboo bowls! Add a crisp white wine to the mix- and sit back and enjoy the warm breezes and friendly conversation.

April

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