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Pizza with Sausage and Sweet Peppers.
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Pizza with Sausage and Sweet Peppers

Pizza with Sausage and Sweet Peppers and a homemade tomato sauce. This thick crust pizza is topped with Italian sausages and pan roasted red bell peppers.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword homemade pizza sauce, italian sausage, pizza, sweet peppers
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 28 minutes
Servings 2 16 inch pizzas
Author Marisa

Ingredients

PIZZA DOUGH

  • 2 cups warm water
  • 4 tbs olive oil
  • 4 to 5 cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt I use fine sea salt
  • 1 packet "quick rise" instant yeast I use Fleischmann's 8 grams
  • 2 large eggs

PIZZA SAUCE

  • 1 28 ounes ground tomatoes preferably San Marzano
  • 5 cloves of garlic minced
  • 2 tsp each of dried oregano, basil and parsley if using fresh, increase to 1 tbs each
  • salt and pepper to your taste

PIZZA TOPPING

  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 links of mild Italian sausage about 1 pound
  • 2 medium onions sliced thinly
  • 4 large red bell peppers cut to 1 inch pieces
  • 4 cups grated or shredded mozzarella cheese or as much cheese as you like

Instructions

PIZZA DOUGH

  • In a medium size bowl, stir together 3 cups of the flour, salt and the yeast.
  • Heat 2 cups of water with 4 tbs of olive oil in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds. Take note that if your water is not warm enough the yeast will not activate. If it's too hot it will kill the yeast.  
  • Stir the warm liquids in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon. 
  • Add in the 2 eggs and stir till very well combined.
  • Stir in another cup of flour.
  • Transfer the dough onto a well floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes working in the last cup of flour a bit at a time just until the dough is soft and smooth. You may not even need the whole last cup of flour.
  • Grease a large bowl with some olive oil and place your pizza dough in the greased bowl turning the dough to grease all over.  
  • Cover with cling wrap and let it rise till it doubles in size, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 
  • While the dough is rising prepare the pizza sauce and toppings.

PIZZA SAUCE

  • Combine all the ingredients for the pizza sauce in a medium sized bowl and stir until well combined then set aside.
  • You will only need half of the prepared pizza sauce divided among the two pizzas. Freeze and store the remaining half for the next use.

PIZZA TOPPING

  • Heat the olive oil in a fry pan and brown the sausage while breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes. 
  • Transfer the sausage to a large plate and set aside.
  • Using the same frying pan, add in the cut sweet bell peppers and onions.
  • Pan roast the veggies on medium high heat for about 7 minutes with a dash of salt and pepper, adding a little olive oil only if needed.
  • Set aside to cool.
  • When the dough has risen and doubled in size, transfer it onto a well floured counter and cut it in half.  
  • Working with one half at a time, roll the dough out on a floured work surface using a floured rolling pin and roll to fit your pan. 
  • Transfer the rolled pizza dough to your baking pan and repeat with the second half of the pizza dough.
  • Note that I use two 16" round perforated pans and I roll it out with a well floured rolling pin and on a floured counter.
  • If the dough seems to resist rolling just let it rest for a minute then continue rolling it out.
  • A perforated pizza pan does not need to be oiled. If you do not have a round perforated pizza pan you can use a cookie sheet which has been lightly greased.
  • Spread the reserved pizza sauce over the the pizza dough using the back of a spoon. 
  • Sprinkle the 2 pizzas evenly with the grated mozzarella.
  • Top with the sautéed sausages and pan roasted veggies.
  • Bake in a preheated oven @ 425 degrees F, for about 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted.