French Quarter Sausage, Red Beans and Rice Pizza

Source: National Hot Dog and Sausage Council

1 (12-inch) prepared pizza crust
1 1/2 cups chopped andouille or smoked sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (16 ounce) can red or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper, or as desired
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, as desired
1/2 cup cooked white rice
8 ounces (2 cups) sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped and seeded plum tomatoes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a medium, nonstick skillet placed over medium heat, saut? sausage for 3 to 4 minutes. Add beans, ground red pepper, salt and black pepper, stirring until heated through.

Spread bean mixture over pizza crust; sprinkle with rice, cheese and tomatoes. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 6 servings.

Crispy Sweet Onion Pizza

1 (12-inch) pre-baked pizza shell
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sweet onions halved, sliced vertically
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place pizza shell on baking sheet. Sprinkle onions on pizza and drizzle with olive oil; top with sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper. Bake until onions just begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

Vine Ripened Tomato Pizza

8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pizza dough for two pizzas
Pinch of chili flakes
3 1/2 cups Swedish fontina cheese, grated (loosely packed)
20 slices red onions, sliced very thinly
2 medium vine ripened tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
20 cherry tomatoes
6 ounces buffalo mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated very finely
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped basil

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and place a baking stone or tile in to heat. Heat a small saut? pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and the unpeeled garlic cloves. Saut?, stirring regularly, until the garlic skin begins to caramelize. Transfer to the oven and roast until the garlic cloves become uniformly golden brown. Remove and cool.

When cool, remove the roasted garlic from the skins and place into a small bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon to make a paste.

Roll the dough into roughly 10-inch rounds using a pie pin or by pounding and stretching the dough.

Sprinkle a light cutting board or pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina and lay the doughs down on it. Spread the garlic paste over the doughs then sprinkle the chili flakes evenly and spread the fontina cheese over the dough, leaving a half inch rim without cheese. Next distribute the sliced tomatoes followed by the onion rings.

Arrange the cherry tomatoes evenly over the cheese and onions and sprinkle the fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the edge of the crust becomes golden brown and the cheese bubbles in the center.

Remove from the oven and place on a cutting board. Sprinkle the chopped basil over and cut into six or eight pieces. Serve immediately.

Pizza Rustica

This is an authentic Sicilian recipe.

Pie Crust
2 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup warm water

Knead ingredients, put in bowl and cover for half an hour. Grease 13 x 9-inch pan with butter, then roll out dough and place half in pan, then layer filling.

Filling
3/4 pound ham, sliced thin
1/2 pound provolone cheese, sliced thin
1/2 pound mozzarella, sliced thin
1/2 pound hard salami, sliced thin

Place Filling on crust. Then, beat 6 eggs, one cup of milk and a pinch of pepper together and pour over filling. Sprinkle a little oregano and basil on top. Put remaining pie crust over top and pinch together, make a hole in the middle with a fork. Brush with egg yolk. Bake at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Breakfast Pizza

1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
8 eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half or milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 (8 ounce) container chive, vegetable or regular cream cheese
8 slices crisply-cooked bacon
Scallions, if desired

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 12-inch pizza pan. Unroll dough; place in greased pan. Starting at center, press out dough with hands. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes or until crust begins to brown.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper; beat well. In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add egg mixture; cook and stir until thoroughly cooked but still moist. Remove from heat. Spoon cooked egg mixture over partially baked crust. Drop cream cheese by teaspoonsful over eggs. Arrange bacon in spoke fashion on top of pizza. Bake for an additional 8 to 12 minutes or until toppings are thoroughly heated and crust is deep golden brown. Garnish with scallions.

Makes 8 servings.

Pop-Up Pizza

Filling
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 garlic clove
1 (1.5 ounce) envelope spaghetti sauce mix
1/2 teaspoon oregano

In large skillet, brown hamburger and drain. Stir in onion, green pepper, garlic, oregano, salt, water, hot pepper sauce, tomato sauce and sauce mix;simmer about 10 min stirring occasionally.

Batter
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In a bowl, combine milk, oil and eggs; beat 1 min on medium speed. Add flour and salt; beat 2 min or until smooth.

Toppings
7 ounces mozzarella or jack cheese slices
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour hot meat mixture into a 13 x 9-inch pan; top with cheese slices. Pour batter over cheese, covering filling completely; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until puffed and brown.

Impossible Hamburger Pizza

Crust
2 1/2 cups Bisquick Baking Mix
2/3 cup hot water
1 envelope active dry yeast

Meat Mixture
1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

Topping
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups mozzarella or Cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Mix the baking mix and yeast and stir in the hot water. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth, about 20 times. Let the dough rest a few minutes.

While the dough is resting, cook and stir the meat and onion in a large skillet until the onion is tender and the meat is brown. Drain off the excess fat. Stir in the tomato sauce, oregano leaves, and pepper and set aside.

Divide the dough in half. Roll each half on an ungreased baking sheet into a 13 x 10-inch rectangle or on a pizza pan 12 inches in diameter. Pinch the edges to make a slight rim. Spread the meat mixture almost to the edges. Top with the green pepper and cheeses. Bake until the crust is brown and the filling is hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

Cut into squares or wedges and serve.