Italian Sausage & Goat Cheese Pizza

If you shop at Costco, you have probably noticed that they have a HUGE selection of meat (fresh whole meat, fresh ground meat, whole turkeys, pre-sliced turkey breast, sausages, bacon, and so much more)!  So every time we go to Costco we also browse the various meat isles and see if they have added anything new to their selection.  Last time we went, they had added Sabatino's Chicken Smoked Mozzarella Artichoke and Garlic Sausages, which looked very good, so we got a package.  So far I've used these flavorful sausages to make Stuffed Artichokes (recipe coming soon) and this very delicious pizza I'm about to share with you!…

1 can artichoke hearts from Trader Joe's, drained
1 can sliced olives from Trader Joe's, drained and rinsed
12 oz mushrooms
3 large bell peppers, sliced, or 3 cups sliced mini bell peppers
1 red onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes
3 Sabatino's Chicken Smoked Mozzarella Artichoke and Garlic Sausages
1 log Goat cheese from Trader Joe's (freeze then chop for a cleanly crumbled goat cheese)
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 cups baby spinach
small bunch fresh basil
1 jar pizza sauce from Trader Joe's
2 TBSP olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 TBSP fresh oregano, chopped
1 batch of your favorite pizza dough (try using my favorite Pizza Dough recipe)
Balsamic Glaze from Trader Joe's

Empty out the artichoke hearts onto a cutting board and roughly chop small pieces.

Thoroughly wash the bell peppers, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes.

Very thinly slice all 3 sausages into circles.

Pour the olive oil into a small pot and heat on high.

Add garlic to the oil and cook until the garlic begins to bubble.

Add the pizza sauce and 1 TBSP of the oregano to the oil and garlic.

Stir together all the ingredients until they are fully combined.  I know it takes a while, but keep stirring!

Now you have an authentic Italian pizza sauce!  Pour the sauce into a small bowl and cover for later.

Chiffonade the basil (I used about a quarter cup, but you can adjust the amount to your tastes) and spinach, then mix them and the leftover TBSP of oregano together in a small bowl.

Halve the onion, then very finely slice and separate into individual pieces.

Finely slice the mushrooms.

Finely slice the bell peppers, making sure the pieces aren't too thick.  If you use bell pepper pieces that are too thick, they will make your pizza watery as they cook.

Halve the cherry tomatoes using a very sharp knife so that they don't get squished.

Once all your ingredients are sliced, arrange them in a large glass dish for easy access while you are topping your pizza.

Roll out your pizza dough to the thickness you like it.  If you use a gluten free Pizza Dough recipe, make sure to roll it out very thin, otherwise you will wind up with a doughy crust.

Transfer your dough to a pizza peel or pizza pan, fold over the edge, and brush with olive oil.  You can leave edges flat, but I find it makes it easier to get the pizza out if you fold your edges over.

Spread a thin layer of the authentic pizza sauce we made earlier over the crust.  Make sure it goes all the way to the edges for maximum flavor!

Add artichoke hearts, olives, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, and sausages to the crust.  Don't be afraid to go heavy on the toppings!

Sprinkle with some Goat cheese and shredded Mozzarella cheese.

Cook the pizza in your oven or barbecue until the crust is just starting to get crispy, but isn't quite done yet.  When the pizza is at this stage, sprinkle it with some of the spinach/basil/oregano mixture from earlier and cook your pizza until it's just the way you like it.

When your pizza is done, remove it from the oven or barbecue and drizzle with some of the Balsamic Glaze from Trader Joe's and slice into eighths.

Repeat this process until all your ingredients are gone, or until you run out of pizza dough.

This tasty pizza is best served alongside a salad.  A recipe for an Italian Garden Salad and Dressing is coming soon!

 

To see more of my pictures you can find me on Instagram at @audreygracephotography.