Good Monday Morning! I know, Monday mornings are hard. Don’t you wish there was a day between Sunday and Monday to recover from the weekend? That would be nice. I would get so many house chores and laundry done! The weather yesterday was pretty yucky which actually allowed me to get a lot done. I even took a little trip to Home Depot and picked up some fresh herbs, succulents and cactus to plant! 
Check back later this week for how they turned out! I’ve been on a big homemade pizza kick lately. Partly because there are no good pizza places in Park City but mostly because its SO much better when you make it yourself! I get fresh dough from Whole Foods or Trader Joes, which makes the whole process faster.
I love Aidells chicken sausage, I use it for so many recipes it’s delicious for everything! This is my favorite pizza creation- the spice from the jalapeno chicken sausage, the sweetness of the caramelized onions, mushrooms and peppers and the creaminess from the goat cheese makes the ultimate combination!
I’ve dubbed my favorite pie “The Spicy Goat”! Time to get cooking, enjoy!
Homemade Pizza- The Spicy Goat (Click for printer friendly version)
Ingredients (Serves 4-6):
- 2 balls fresh pizza dough
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 8 oz fresh baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 package Aidells Mango Jalapeno chicken sausage or other spicy chicken sausage (4 sausages)
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbed
- 1 7oz container fresh Buitoni pesto
- 1 16oz fresh mozzarella ball (the large mozzarella log), thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1 bag fresh arugula
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- corn meal and flour for pizza dough
Directions:
- Place your pizza stone in the oven and pre-heat to 450 degrees. (If you don’t have a pizza stone you can use a cookie sheet or baking sheet but don’t put it in the oven while its pre-heating)
- Slice the chicken sausage into rounds and saute in a medium pan until brown on both sides. Set aside.
- Drizzle some olive oil, about 1 tablespoon in a medium skillet and saute onions and peppers until golden brown and tender about 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar and stir. Add mushrooms and saute another 4-5 minutes. remove from heat and set aside.
- Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter – 10 to 12 inches.
- Lightly sprinkle your pizza paddle (or flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza paddle. To assemble, spread half the pesto onto the dough, slice half the fresh mozzarella and place that on top of the pesto. Layer half the chicken sausage, half the onion, mushroom and pepper mixture. Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and 2 oz of fresh goat cheese on top. (you will use the rest of the ingredients for the other ball of pizza dough, assemble the same way!)
- Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven (watch your hands, the oven is hot!). Slide the pizza off of the paddle and on to the baking stone in the oven. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, while the pizza is cooking, toss the arugula with lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil and a large pinch of salt. Set aside till pizza is ready.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to cool for 3-5 minutes, while you place the other pizza in the oven. Top with half the arugula mixture, slice and serve!
Ski Boots in the Kitchen 