Luxe Pizza with Balsamic Red Sauce Recipe
Serves 2-3 as a main or 4-6 as an appetizer.
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Diamond Kosher salt
- 28 ounces crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian herb blend
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces store-bought or homemade fresh pizza dough of your liking
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1/2 red onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
- 1 small bunch broccoli raab
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella ( with low moisture content)
- ½ cup shredded provolone
- 1/2 cup whole castelveltrano olives or black oil cured olives
- Fancy dried oregano
- Red pepper flake
- Extra virgin Olive oil
- Diamond Kosher salt
Directions
- Sauté onion in butter (with a pinch of salt) in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. When onions are translucent and tender, add crushed tomato, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon balsamic, sugar, garlic, and another generous pinch of salt to the pot – gently simmer sauce, stirring regularly, until flavors are incorporated and sauce is thick and luscious – about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add additional, salt, sugar, black pepper, and/or balsamic as you desire. Note: sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead. Use extra sauce for a tasty pasta dish.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees – place a pizza stone in the oven to preheat.
- Brown sausage meat in a cast iron pan over medium high heat until just cooked – breaking up the clumps as you go. Set aside.
- Blanch broccoli raab until just-tender and bright green. Coarsely chop and toss with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Shape your pizza crust on a pizza peel lightly dusted with cornmeal. Brush the edges of the crust with olive oil. Top dough with 1 cup balsamic red sauce, then shredded cheese. Finish with sausage, broccoli raab, red onion fans, olives, and a sprinkling of salt and a drizzle of 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Carefully transfer pizza from peel to your hot pizza stone. Bake about 8 minutes or until crust is golden.
- Serve with red pepper flakes and dried oregano.