Sausage Smoked Gouda Pizza

I know this isn't a healthy dish but this pizza was absolutely delicious.  If you like spicy you'll love it.  I actually made this the night I made the Pesto Mozzarella Pizza. If you prefer the healthier pizza definitely go with the Pesto Mozzarella Pizza which is thin-crust, filled with veggies & low-fat cheeses.


Dough:  (Makes 2 pizzas - serves 4 each)

1 teaspoon fast-acting yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup olive oil

1. Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
2. In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until incorporated with flour.
3. Pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined. Dough will be wet and sticky.
4. Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it. *It’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better but you can use immediately just leave on counter until you assemble all your topping ingredients.

For the Pizza: Serves 4
1.25 lbs. hot Italian Sausage (remove casings, browned and crumbled)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 pint white button mushrooms, sliced
1, 24 oz. jar of pasta sauce (I used Classico's Cabernet Marinara w/ Herbs)
freshly ground black pepper
pepperoncini, sliced
Shredded Smoked Gouda
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1.  Cook sausage until browned and crumbled.  Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.
2.  Add mushrooms and onions to sausage drippings in skillet and cook until soft (about 5 minutes)
3. Add sausage, pasta sauce and some freshly cracked black pepper to mushrooms and onions, stir.  Simmer until ready to assemble pizza.
4. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
5. Drizzle olive oil on a large baking sheet and use fingers to coat thoroughly. Remove HALF the pizza dough from the bowl. Optional - Sprinkle white or yellow ground corn meal on pan.
6. Stretch pizza dough into a large rectangle, pressing with fingers to finish forming. Dough will be very thin.
7. Spread sausage sauce over dough evenly in a thin layer. (You will have extra, save and serve over pasta for another meal)
8. Top with shredded smoked gouda and mozzarella cheeses.
9. Top with sliced pepperoncini peppers.
10. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and the cheese is brown and bubbly.
11. Slice with a pizza cutter. Serve with a green salad. Enjoy!

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