fave combo pizza

pork sausage and creamy mushrooms

This is one of my favorite flavor profiles, and, just like any other food combination I adore, I questioned whether or not it should be made into a pizza or sandwich. The mustard and Worcestershire round out the flavors and make it more than just a pizza with mushrooms on it. The sweetness from the cream, sausage, cheese and onions is a beautiful contrast to the salty pork and parmesan. You - and your children! - will not be able to get enough of it, I promise.

Note: My kids are picky about the sausage they eat. They only like the cheap kinds from the grocery stores I do not typically go to (Farmer Johns, Johnsonville, etc.), so I have tried a variety of different recipes to try to make a healthier version for them. This is the favorite by far and the only one all of them have loved.

(The image above includes leftover ribeye in lieu of sausage. Both taste delicious.)

pork sausage and creamy mushroom pizza

serves 4-6, makes 2 medium pizzas, cook/prep time: ~20 minutes

2 rounds/packages of pizza dough (I like to get mine from Pitfire Pizza for $4 per round) make sure your pizza dough is room temperature before following this recipe

1 cup + havarti cheese, shredded

1/2 cup + parmesan, grated

extra virgin olive oil and Maldon salt

Italian pork sausage

1 lb ground pork

2 teaspoons white sugar or maple syrup

2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs

1.5 teaspoons Maldon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

creamy mushrooms

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 box of crimini mushrooms (about 10-12), sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons salted butter

1.5 teaspoons dijon mustard

0.5 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Maldon salt

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

instructions

Preheat the oven as high as it will go (for me this is 555 degrees Fahrenheit). Make sure your pizza dough is room temperature before you begin to make your pizza or the crust will not turn out well.

Combine all of the ingredients for the pork sausage in a medium size bowl and mix with your hands until everything is completely incorporated and dispersed. Heat a large or medium skillet over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. When the oil looks wavy, add your sausage. Let cook for about 2 minutes and then break up into smaller pieces with a spoon. Continue to cook until the sausage is completely cooked through and no pink remains. Transfer the sausage onto a plate lined with paper towels.

Note: you can use the same skillet for the mushrooms that you used for the sausage, but you may need to add some extra water and or oil to the pan to prevent sticking/overbrowning. If you use the same skillet, discard the fat in the skillet and before proceeding to the steps below.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil followed by your sweet onion. Saute the onion for roughly 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons salted butter to the onion, let it melt completely, then add your sliced onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Let sit for about 30 seconds before stirring. Continue to saute until the mushrooms are soft and cooked, about 3-5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add your dijon and worcestershire; stir to combine and finally add your heavy cream. Mix until completely incorporated and remove from heat.

Drizzle about 3 tablespoons olive oil onto two large sheet pans. Spread your pizza dough so that it takes the shape of a normal pizza and place it on the olive oil. Flip the dough so that both sides become covered with olive oil and press the dough down/rub the olive oil into the dough until it resembles the shape below. Spread a thin layer of your mushroom mixture on each pizza, followed by half of the sausage, havarti, and finally parmesan (on each pizza).

Place the pizzas in the oven and bake for ~8 minutes, but check on it after about 5 (you will need to closely monitor your pizza the first time you make it since all ovens have a different cook time, but after you do this once you will have a better idea of how long it will take each time). You will know the pizza is done cooking when the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown around the edges.

Remove from oven, slice, and serve as soon as possible. Top with parsley if looking for a bit of green/garnish.