Buffalo Italian Sausage & Mushroom Pizza

jill Buffalo Recipes, Recipes, Sausages 1 Comment

Italian Buffalo Sausage & Mushroom Pizza (3 medium or 6 small pizza) Who doesn’t love pizza? And good pizza is well – irresistible. This will require a little bit of time, but all the steps are super easy.  Although I attempted my own pizza sauce, it just was not as good (and I tried many) as my favorite purchased brand, Mezzetti, which has a deep richness that I could not duplicate. For best results apply your toppings evenly and not too heavily. Baking the pizza can be done in a variety of ovens and the timelines for those are noted at the end of the recipe. Ingredients: 1 – 1 lb. Wild Idea Buffalo Italian Sausage 1 – recipe, pizza crust ½ – cup basil pesto 1 – cup pizza sauce *Mezzetti 1 ½ – cups mushrooms, sliced ¾ – cup caramelized onions 12 – ounces fresh mozzarella or substitute chevre with fennel pollen 9 – ounces parmesan, grated salt, pepper & chili flake to taste flour & cornmeal Preparation: Prepare pizza dough per instructions below. Lightly flour work surface and your hands. Stretch and hold dough with one hand and form a fist with the other and place under the dough. Place on peel, baking sheet, or pizza stone that has been generously covered with flour or corn meal. Adjust shape with hands by stretching or scrunching dough into place.  In a large saucepan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and crumble Buffalo Italian Sausage into pan. Lightly brown and stir occasionally breaking up sausage to desired pieces, about 4 minutes. Spread pizzas with basil pesto, followed by the pizza sauce. Top each pizza with desired amount of sliced mushrooms, caramelized onions, Buffalo Italian Sausage, mozzarella or chèvre, and parmesan cheese. Baking: Outdoor Brick Ovens: Have heat at about 700°. Slide pizza off peel and bake in oven for about 4 minutes, rotating once or twice while baking. Indoor convection ovens: Place oven rack to lower level and preheat oven to as high as heat will go, 500° to 550°.  Bake on pizza stone or baking sheet for 8 to 12 minutes depending on your heat. Gas Grill: Line gas grill rack low to flames with bricks and place bricks on upper grill rack if you have one. Place pizza stone on top of bricks (good old fashioned red bricks work great). Turn all burners to high heat and allow the grill to get very hot, so bricks are heated through, about 30 minutes. The bricks will help in retaining the heat and offer a more even cooking distribution. Slide pizza off of peel onto pizza stone and close grill lid.  Bake, turning once for about 6 minutes. Remove pizza from oven or grill and place on a cutting board. Allow the pizza to rest for a few minutes before cutting. Season with chili flake as desired. Pizza Dough (makes 3 medium or 6 large crusts) *Credit to Peter Reinhart. This is fabulous dough! If not used for pizza it makes a great flatbread, brushed with a little pesto prior to baking. Ingredients: 4½ – cups high protein flour (I used half Kernza whole grain flour & half organic bread flour) 1¾   – teaspoon salt 1 – teaspoon quick yeast 2 – tablespoons olive oil 1¾ – cup water, very cold Preparation: In mixing bowl using a dough hook, sift flour, salt and yeast together. Add olive oil and water, scraping down sides as needed. Continue to mix for 6 minutes, stopping every two minutes to remove dough from the hook. Dust hands with flour and remove dough from mixer …

Buffalo Italian Sausage Piadina

jill Buffalo Recipes, Recipes, Sausages 1 Comment

(Serves 8 ) Piadina is Italian Flat bread that is delicious by itself or used in replace of bread to make a sandwich or as a crust for pizza.  The dough is wonderful to work with and the aroma will bring volunteer taste testers to your door. Great for easy entertaining, just prepare your crust, have toppings ready and have guests build their own! Piadina Dough Ingredients: 1 pkg. quick yeast ½ cup warm water ½ cup flour 3 ½ cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup cold water 2 tablespoons olive oil Buffalo Piadina Toppings: 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced 1 portabella mushroom, sliced 1 lb. Wild Idea Buffalo Italian Sausage, coarse crumbled and sautéed 4 Roma Tomatoes, sliced, sprinkle with salt & pepper 1 cup fresh basil, julienned 4 oz. parmesan, grated + more for passing Mix yeast, water and ½ cup flour together. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Mixture will be double in size and bubble. Add remaining flour, salt, water and olive oil, knead together for 5 minutes. Place in lightly oiled bowl, cover and allow dough to double in size. About 2 hours. Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll out on a lightly floured surface into 8 inch circles. Place grill tiles or bricks on grill grates and turn heat to 400*. Place rolled dough on tiles and grill for 1 minute each side, or until dough has puffed slightly and become lightly browned. Keep grill lid closed during cooking. Place crust on pizza stone or make individual pans of foiled parchment and top with favorite toppings. Keep toppings in balance so all flavors are equally represented. Return prepared pizza to 400* grill. Close lid and continue to cook for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from grill. Cut each pizza into 4. Serve with green salad for a complete meal. Wine Pairing: California, Estancia Merlot, Keyes Canyon Ranch 2009 Full fruit nose with hints of cherry and earth on the palate. Well rounded with a smooth, lingering finish.