Ron’s World Famous Almost Scratch Pizza

The Ingredients:

Jimmy Dean’s Regular Pork Sausage 1lb. (Why?)….Because it consistent, has little fat, and comes in different flavors and heat. Pepperoni, Green pepper, Onion, Ragu Pizza Sauce (I have used Hunt’s, and have made my own), Italian seasoning, mozzarella cheese, shredded Parmesan cheese in a shaker, Bread flour, Yeast, Garlic salt or garlic butter, Olive oil, Sugar, 16″ pizza pan (or two twelve-inch pans)

Put 1 1/2 cups warm water in a two cup measuring cup Add a 1 1/4 oz. package of Active Dry Yeast (2 1/4 tsp.) Add 1 Tbls. sugar and stir to start the Yeast

In a medium bowl (I use aluminum because it conducts heat a little faster) add  4 cups of Bread flour, 1 1/2 tsp. of salt. (I’ve been known to add garlic salt instead of salt) I blend these with a wire whisk.

Add in the started yeast (foam will begin to form on the top) and mix with a fork or pastry blending tool. Knead into a bread dough ball and rub with olive oil. Put it back in the same bowl. Now put almost hot water in a slightly smaller bowl (any material), and set the dough ball bowl on top of the warm water bowl. I cover this with a damp flour sack towel to keep it moist and warm. Let it rise, punch it down, put fresh warm water in the bottom bowl and let the pizza dough rise again.

While the dough is rising, dice 3/4 cup of onion, and 3/4 cup of green pepper and caramelize them in a medium fry pan. When they are translucent, remove them and brown to crumbling the pork sausage. When that is browned, add the onion and pepper back in and cover off of the heat. Let it set until needed.

When the dough has risen twice, flour your rollout surface and dump the dough ball in the middle of the flour and then work it a bit to develop the gluten. I then slowly roll it out with my heavy roller (marble). I try not to stretch it but want the round to be an inch bigger than the 16″ pan or 18″. I then perforate it all over with a fork to prevent large bubbles. Place the dough on the pizza pan and let it rest and raise a little. Now, there are two ways to go. Fold the dough under and make it look good, or brush pizza sauce on the top edge, add a  trail of mozzarella all the way around the pizza, and roll the extra hang over dough to make a stuffed crust ring all the way around. Now I brush the garlic butter or salt on the rolled part. Pre-heat the oven to 400°.

Next spread the pizza sauce on the rest of the pizza, and add the pork sausage, onion, and green pepper crumbles. Sprinkle on the parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, spread the pepperoni around about two inches apart. Now add the mozzarella to cover the surface well. Now, I add 8 to 12 pepperoni slices on top because the grease from the pepperoni darkens the mozzarella cheese and I like the mozzarella dark. for taste.

At this point, you can let the pizza rest or put it in the oven on the 2nd shelf down from the top. Set the timer for 20 minutes and begin to watch it. No two ovens are the same. If the top is getting done before the crust is getting brown on the bottom, move the pizza down. Find the best spot for your oven and remember it.

When the pizza is done, let it rest long enough to firm up…..slice and enjoy. If there was ever a great left over breakfast pizza, this is the one! It’s got breakfast sausage in it!!