Pizza with Sausage, Fennel and Peppers

 

Makes 4 small (8-inch) pizzas

• 30 ml olive oil, plus additional for brushing the pizza crusts
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, cut into eights, cored, and thinly sliced
• 5 ml finely chopped garlic
• 5 ml chopped fresh thyme
• 1 recipe pizza dough, see below that page for the recipe
• 125 ml prepared pesto
• 500 ml grated mozzarella cheese
• 500 ml grated fontina cheese
• 60 ml grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large roasted red pepper (fresh or bottled)
• 180 gr fennel sausage or mild Italian sausage, crumbled or sliced

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil ; when the oil is hot, add the fennel and sauté until it is just tender, about 5 minutes, and remove the pan from the heat, stir in the garlic and the thyme.
2. Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500F (250C).
3. Roll or press out the piza dough ; divide the dough into four equal balls.
4. Shape each ball by gently pulling down the sides of the dough and tucking each pull under the bottom o the ball, working round and round the ball 4 or 5 times.
5. Then, on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball around under your palm until it feels smooth and firm, about 1 minute Put the balls on a tray or platter, cover them with pan-sprayed plastic wrap or a damp towel, and leave them rest for at least 30 minutes (at this point, the dough balls can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 1 to 2 days, you will need to punch them down again when you are ready to roll out the pizzas).
6. Roll or press the pizza dough, brush lightly with olive oil, then brush each pizza with 30 ml of the pesto ; sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the pesto.
7. Top with the fennel, red pepper and sausage.
8. Using a lightly floured baker's peel or a rimless flat baking tray, slide the pizza onto the baking stone and bake until the pizza crust is nicely browned, 10 to 12 minutes ; remember that the oven is very hot and be careful as you place the pizza in the oven and again when you take it out.
9. Transfer the pizza to a firm surface and cut into slices with a pizza cutter or a very sharp knife.
10. Serve immediately.

All-purpose Pizza dough

                    Pizza dough can be rolled out, covered airtight with plastic and foil, frozen, than transfered directly from the freezer to a hot oven.

• 10 ml active dry yeast
• 250 ml warm water
• 5 ml honey
• 15 ml olive oil
• 375 ml all-purpose flour
• 5 ml salt

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bread bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water ; add the honey and stir together.
2. Let sit 2 or 3 minutes, or until the water is cloudy ; stir in the olive oil.

Using the stand mixer

1. Combine the flour and salt and add it to the yeast mixture all at once ; mix together using the paddle attachment, then change to the dough hook.
2. Knead at low speed for 2 minutes, then turn up to medium speed and knead until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and clusters around the dough hook, about 5 minutes.
3. Hold on to the machine if it bounces around.
4. Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand for 2 to 3 minutes longer ; the dough should be smooth and elastic, when you press it with your finger it should slowly spring back, and it should not feel tacky (back to the recipe).

Kneading the dough by hand

1. Mix together the yeast, honey, water, and olive oil as directed in a medium-size or large bowl.
2. Combine the flour and salt ; fold the flour in a cup at a time using a large wooden spoon.
3. As soon as you can scrape the dough out in one piece, scrape it onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it for 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary until the dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl, rounded side down first, then round side up.
5. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm spot to rise for 30 minutes (ou can leave it for up to an hour).
6. When it is ready the dough will stretch as it is gently pulled (back to the recipe).

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