I like unique flavors in my dishes and constantly stray away from the norm. I prefer cakes with a savory aspect and that isn’t too sweet, conch salad with pineapple in it (hint of sweetness), the vegetarian options when I eat out (let the vegetables be the star). So this pizza recipe was right along my palette, when combining a robust meat like sweet Italian sausage with the sweet and tarty flavor of cherry-infused cranberries. I wanted to create a kaleidoscope of flavor ranges with fresh and roasted components which resulted in a delicious and crispy bite with endless flavor. Add your favorite meats or dried fruit to make it match your style and make your next pizza flavor a happy surprise!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 - 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
4 Tblsp. Homemade Tomato Sauce
2 tbsp. minced cranberries
5 Leaves, Spinach, sliced
¼ tsp Onion powder
2 Homemade Roasted Garlic Cloves, sliced
½ roasted red bell pepper, sliced
2 tsp melted Gruyere cheese
1 sweet Italian sausage, sautéed and diced’
1/8 large Red onion, thinly sliced
2tsp fresh Rosemary, minced
3 Tbsp. Gruyere Cheese
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 9” Gluten-Free Pizza Crust (courtesy of Still Riding Foods)
Prep:
Thinly slice red onion, roasted garlic and spinach leaves. Place melted cheese in a piping bag or apparatus but lay on its side to resist from spilling out and do not expose the cheese to air. Preheat (medium) small nonstick pan for 4 minutes, using 1 tsp of olive oil. Place sausage in the pan for 8 minutes on each side. Ensure it is browned all around. Place sausage aside to cool and dice approximately 2-3 minutes before placing on pizza.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Unwrap crust and cover with olive oil and top with minced rosemary. Place crust on pizza pan and into the oven for 30 seconds, this will add crispiness to the crust. Assemble the pizza in the following order: tomato sauce, cheese, roasted red bell pepper, cranberries, bacon and roasted garlic. Smooth a thin layer of tomato sauce on the crust, leaving ¼ - ½ inch uncovered. Pipe the Gruyere cheese on delicately to allow expansion during melting and ensure that each slice has an adequate amount. Place bell pepper slices in between cheese delicately. Place minced cranberries between cheese and bell peppers. Sprinkle bacon over the pizza, add red onions and place Italian sausage generously on the pizza. Lastly add sliced roasted garlic near the center and place the tomatoes clockwise over the cheese and sprinkle onion powder over the entire pizza. Let pizza bake for 15 – 20 minutes. When cheese is melted and meat is browned, you’ll know it’s done baking. Remove from heat, let cool, slice and serve.
Servings: 1
Tips:
For a meat sauce with a sweet/tarty twist, add the cranberries and bacon into the tomato sauce before or as you spread it onto the crust
Dried Italian Seasoning, Garlic and Onion powder as well as Parmesan cheese are great crust toppings. Sprinkle on before or during the baking process
Gruyere was chosen for its unique and bold flavor. You can also use other non-contemporary cheeses such as sharp cheddar, aged or bleu cheese