Sausage Arugula Pizza

 

Want a fun dinner kind of night, try this recipe with your kids and family.  The crust gets perfectly brown and crispy from the cast iron pan, while the sausage adds just the right amount of spice. Homemade sauce? Absolutely amazing—so fresh!

Equipment needed:

Cast Iron Pan, not an expensive one, but a good one. Try the goodwill for a bargain or any store that won’t rip you off in the wallet. Don’t spend more than $30 on a cast iron pan.

Ingredients

2 sweet Italian sausages or 6 ounces sweet Italian sausage

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

¾ pound store-bought or homemade pizza dough

3 Whole peeled canned tomatoes, crushed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

Arugula

Directions

Note: Most store-bought pizza dough comes in 1-pound packages. Using the entire pound will result in a thicker pizza, which will still taste great. Using ¾ pound yields a thinner pizza with a less doughy texture, which some may prefer.

Preheat your oven to 500°F.

Remove the sausages from their casings by cutting a slit down the length and peeling away the casing. Push and tear the sausage out; any remaining casing is not an issue.

Sauté the sausage over high heat, breaking it into bite-size pieces, until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon to absorb excess grease.

Slice the fresh mozzarella, mince the garlic, and toss the arugula with a splash of olive oil. Set these aside.

Place three peeled tomatoes into a small bowl and crush them with a fork or your fingers.

Add the tomato paste, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes to the crushed tomatoes. Mix thoroughly.

Brush a 12-inch cast iron skillet with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Press the pizza dough flat into the skillet, spreading it to the edge.

Spread the tomato mixture evenly over the dough.

Once the crust is browned on the bottom, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 3 minutes.

Remove the pizza from the oven. Evenly scatter the sliced mozzarella and cook sausage over the top. Be sure to use an oven mitt when handling the hot cast iron skillet. Return the skillet to the oven.

Continue baking for 8–10 minutes, until the edge of the crust is golden brown.

Slide the finished pizza out of the skillet onto a cutting board. A well-seasoned cast iron pan should allow the pizza to slide out easily.

Garnish with fresh arugula.

Cut the pizza into individual slices and serve with a fresh tossed salad or your choice of vegetables.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a writer and editor with forty years of experience, including twelve years in online content. She is the author of five books and holds an Associate of Arts degree in Business Management, a bachelor’s in mass communication and cyber-analysis, and a master’s in criminology with a focus on cybercrime and identity theft. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Criminology, Elizabeth’s portfolio covers politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. She is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and artist skilled in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, gouache, and pastels. As a political operative, she has been involved in over 300 campaigns and has transformed many life events into books and scripts. Additionally, Elizabeth manages seven blogs on topics ranging from art and life coaching to food, writing, gardening, and opinion or history pieces.

Italian Cuisine, Mediterranean, Kilbride, Potpourri of Frugality, Homemade, Do it