Hooray for Sausage Pizza Day

Today is National Sausage Pizza Day. May as well call it National Hubby’s Favorite Pizza Day. When it comes to pizza, while he might eat a Pepperoni Pizza when offered, if he were in charge of ordering a pizza, it would be Sausage with Mushrooms every time.

I’m not a fan of pizza generally speaking. I do like gourmet pizzas with a white sauce and garlic or a traditional red sauce with Feta Cheese. I like Fajita Pizza with spicy peppers or Chicken Pizza with an Alfredo Sauce. Hubby likes Sausage and Mushroom with a traditional red sauce. Period. He doesn’t even sprinkle his with red pepper flakes like Kiddo and I do. And he has to have Pepsi for a beverage. If I’m having soda, I prefer Root Beer. But really, I’d rather have a glass of red wine and a crisp salad with my pizza. There’s something about a glass of wine and a salad that makes even pizza seem like dining out.

Eating pizza is one of those rare dining experiences in our house where there is little room for compromise. If I were to make a pizza with a white sauce, Hubby would have no part of it. There are exceptions – he would eat a meat lovers pizza with sausage, pepperoni, Canadian Bacon and even salami. Absolutely no olives or green bell peppers on Hubby’s pizza under any circumstances. When it comes to pizza, he can be quit ridged. Or set in his ways. Or a man who knows what he likes, depending upon your point of view. In all honesty, growing up I ate only one kind of Pizza – Pizza Hut’s Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza. But then, that was back in the day when Pizza Hut was more than a delivery or takeout joint. It was a real, honest to goodness pizza parlor. And there is nothing in this world as amazing as a pizza fresh from the oven.

Which brings us to this home made delight. The crust is super easy, comes out perfect every time. Fresh ingredients such as freshly grated Mozzarella Cheese make a big difference. If you are feeling ambition, make your own sauce. Or use a jarred sauce from a brand you know is good.

Sausage Mushroom Deep Dish Pizza
Pizza Dough
Olive Oil for the bowl
2-1/4 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Rapid-Rise Yeast
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 cup warm Water
Olive Oil for the pan

Lightly oil a bowl for the dough to rest in while proofing. Heat oven to 170-degrees. Place bowl in the oven, shut oven off to retain warmth.

Measure the flour, salt, yeast and sugar into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to combine. Warm water in the microwave. Slowly add warm water to the flour mixture, continue to process until a ball forms, about 30 seconds.

Note: If a ball does not form, add a bit more flour.

Once dough ball forms, process dough for another 30 seconds, then turn out and roll into a tight ball. Place the dough ball in the prepared bowl. Proof in the warm oven until the dough doubles in size, about 2 hours.

Position an oven rack in the bottom of the oven and heat oven to 450 degrees.

Pour a little oil in a large jelly-roll pan or deep dish pizza pan. Place Pizza Dough in the center of the pan and gently stretch it out to reach the corners and sides of the pan.

Note: If the dough is being temperamental, set aside for another 10 minutes to relax and dry again.

Poke small holes into the dough with a fork to help anchor it to the pan. Par-bake in the heated oven for about 5 minutes, just until it begins to brown. Remove pizza from oven, set aside until ready to assemble.

Pizza Toppings
1 lb Italian Sausage
1 cup sliced White Mushrooms
16 oz Block Mozzarella Cheese
1 jar favorite Pizza Sauce
Red Pepper Flakes, optional
Parmesan Cheese, optional

Increase oven temperature to 500-degrees.

Cook sausage in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, breaking meat apart as it browns. Drain well, set aside.

Clean and slice mushrooms, set aside. Cut about a quarter of the cheese into small cupes, shred remaining cheese and set aside.

Spread pizza sauce out evenly on the par-baked pizza crust. Scatter the cubed cheese pieces around the endge of the pizza, then about half of the shredded cheese over the sauce.

Next, scatter Italian Sausage over the cheese, followed by the sliced mushrooms. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake in the ultra-hot oven until bubbling, golden and beautifully crisp around the edges, about 8 minutes.

Using a fish spatula. Loosen the edges. Slice pizza into squares, serve and enjoy. Finish with a sprinkling of Red Pepper Flakes and Parmesan Cheese if desired.

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Lord, You are merciful and gracious