I make homemade pizza pretty often these days. We all love it and agree that it is better than takeout any day. Usually, I make a variety of toppings so we can choose, but this time I focused on one of my favorite dishes. I had been thinking about the Italian Feasts that New York does so well with the lines of trucks preparing sausage and peppers. After a little shaping, causing, and cheesing, I added this yummy topping and Italian Festival Pizza was born. And since we like a little spice, I also added sliced hot cherry peppers. These were awesome, and leftovers slices were perfect for breakfast with an egg on top.
Ingredients for Italian Festival Pizza:
2 - 4 pies
2- 1 1/2 pounds pizza dough, room temperature
1 pound mozzarella, sliced
about 2 cups of sauce
cherry peppers, optional
medium ground cornmeal for dusting the peel
flour for rolling and shaping the pizzas
* Full disclosure the dough that I purchased each weighed 22 ounces or 1 lb. 6 oz. so don't worry if the dough is a little bigger
Sausage and Peppers:
1 pound Italian Sausage, I used a mixture of sweet and hot
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red bell pepper, halved, seeded and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, halved seeded and sliced
2 cubanelle peppers, halved seeded and sliced
1 large onion, halved and sliced
You will also need a pizza stone, peel, and a rolling pin.
I have the Old Stone Oven Rectangular Pizza Stone. Click HERE to learn more about the pizza stone I use.
I have the Pizzacraft Pizza Peel. Click HERE to learn more about the peel.
Time - Saving Tip: This recipe calls for premade pizza dough which saves a lot of time.
Let's see what we need.
Time to cook.
Spread the oil in a baking dish and add the sausage. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Cook until juices run clear.
Heat the oil and add the onions; season with salt and pepper. Saute a couple of minutes and add the peppers. Add the oregano and season with salt and pepper. Toss over high heat for two-three minutes until peppers start to soften. Add the sausages and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the sausages, slice, and return to the pan; set aside to cool.
I like to buy the whole cherry peppers because I find them spicier than the sliced version. I cut them on a paper towel to absorbs all of the liquid.
I divided each round of dough into two pieces, so I made four pies. If you want larger pies just make two. Place the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Cover with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature. I usually remove my dough out of the refrigerator in the morning to use late in the afternoon.
Place the stone on the bottom rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees. When the dough is at room temperature, it is easy to shape. Working with one dough at a time, using your hands flatten one of the balls into a disc. Starting with one section of the dough, start pressing gently with your fingers, turning the disc as you flatten. By now, the disc will be larger and flatter. Use a rolling pin to flatten it into a pizza shape. If needed, sprinkle a little flour on the dough, so the rolling pin doesn't stick. Don't worry if it doesn't look like a perfect pizza round. I made small pies each 13-14 inches in diameter.
Sprinkle a little cornmeal on the peel. Move it around a bit to make sure there is enough cornmeal on the peel so that the dough will not stick.
Prepare one pie at a time. Place one piece of dough on top of the peel and spread with sauce. Depending on the size of your crust will determine how much sauce you should use. Then top with the mozzarella, sausage, and peppers. Using the peel slide the pizza with a quick jerk reaction with your hand and wrist slide the pizza onto the heated stone. Once the cheese is bubbling, it's ready. Use the peel to transfer the pizza to a rack to cool a few minutes before cutting.
They're ready! Italian Festival Pizza is incredibly delicious and is a favorite around my house.
Enjoy!
Italian Festival Pizza:
2 - 4 pies
2- 1 1/2 pound pizza dough, room temperature
1 pound mozzarella, sliced
about 2 cups of sauce
cherry peppers, optional
medium ground cornmeal for dusting the peel
flour for rolling and shaping the pizzas
Sausage and Peppers:
1 pound Italian Sausage, I used a mixture of sweet and hot
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red bell pepper, halved, seeded and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, halved seeded and sliced
2 cubanelle peppers, halved seeded and sliced
1 large onion, halved and sliced
You will also need a pizza stone, peel, and a rolling pin.
Spread the oil in a baking dish and add the sausage. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Cook until juices run clear.
Heat the oil and add the onions; season with salt and pepper. Saute a couple of minutes and add the peppers. Add the oregano and season with salt and pepper. Toss over high heat for two-three minutes until peppers start to soften. Add the sausages and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the sausages, slice, and return to the pan; set aside to cool. I like to buy the whole cherry peppers because I find them spicier than the sliced version. I cut them on a paper towel to absorbs all of the liquid.
I divided each round of dough into two pieces, so I made four pies. If you want larger pies just make two. Place the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Cover with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature. I usually remove my dough out of the refrigerator in the morning to use late in the afternoon.
Place the stone on the bottom rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees. When the dough is at room temperature, it is easy to shape. Working with one dough at a time, using your hands flatten one of the balls into a disc. Starting with one section of the dough, start pressing gently with your fingers, turning the disk as you flatten. By now, the disc will be larger and flatter. Use a rolling pin to flatten it into a pizza shape. If needed, sprinkle a little flour on the dough, so the rolling pin doesn't stick. Don't worry if it doesn't look like a perfect pizza round. I made small pies each 13-14 inches in diameter. Sprinkle a little cornmeal on the peel. Move it around a bit to make sure there is enough cornmeal on the peel so that the dough will not stick.
Prepare one pie at a time. Place one piece of dough on top of the peel and spread with sauce. Depending on the size of your crust will determine how much sauce you should use. Then top with the mozzarella, sausage, and peppers. Using the peel slide the pizza with a quick jerk reaction with your hand and wrist slide the pizza onto the heated stone. Once the cheese is bubbling, it's ready. Use the peel to transfer the pizza to a rack to cool a few minutes before cutting.
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