Pizza with Pizazz

Day 13.

Homemade pizza is so easy to make and so much tastier than the kind you call out for delivery that it would be a shame not to feature it here! Calling out for a pizza is simple. It requires little effort. However, you're often stuck waiting with grumbling tummies for 45 minutes to an hour! With a little prep work, you could have a pizza on the table in under 30 minutes, and it would be a much tastier pizza. The only things you'd miss would be the lighter wallet, the rubber cheese, and the mystery of not knowing what sort of germs drive around with your pizza in the teenager's delivery-mobile.

If those things appeal to you, please disregard this post. If I've got your attention, prepare for a delectable feast.

Sausage and Onion Pizza with White Sauce on a Garlic-Herb Crust

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp Italian seasoning

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups bread flour

2 packets of active dry yeast

How it's Done:

I used my automatic bread machine on its Dough setting to make my dough. If you have a bread machine, put the ingredients in your machine in the order recommended by your manufacturer and set to Dough cycle. When finished, turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide in half and roll out into 14" circles. Place on pizza stones or pans and prick with a fork all over the dough. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool completely. At this point, the crusts can be frozen for quick pizzas in the future.

*NOTE: the dough is very soft. It bakes into a crispy cracker-thin crust.

White Sauce

White sauce is simply an Alfredo sauce. It doesn't take much to top a pizza, so using some leftover sauce from another meal is a great idea. May I suggest this recipe for Fettuccine with Toasted Walnut Cream Sauce?

If you want to start from scratch, here is a very basic Alfredo sauce for your pizza an dipping pleasure:

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp salted butter

1 cups heavy cream

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 oz grated Parmesan cheese (can use shredded, too, but grated melts faster)

dash of nutmeg (pretty crucial for a pasta sauce...can omit for pizza if desired)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

How it's Done:

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the rest of your ingredients and cook and stir over medium heat for about ten minutes, until thickened.

For our pizzas tonight:

1. Prepare crust and set aside.



2. Prepare Alfredo sauce and let cool.



3. Dice 1/2 lb smoked sausage. Slice 1/2 an onion into rings. Mince 1/2 cup fresh parsley.



4. Brush crust with olive oil. Spread a thin layer of Alfredo sauce on crust. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheddar cheese on each crust. Spread half of sausage on each, followed by onion rings and parsley. Sprinkle each pizza with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese on each pizza.



5. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, or until cheeses are bubbly and lightly browned. Cool slightly before cutting.



6. Skip the traditional Parmesan and crushed red pepper toppings. Replace these with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt.



7. Enjoy!!