Sausage, Pesto & Spinach Pizza

pesto

🥗Healthier: spinach basil puree

💰Cheaper: store-bought sauce

Spinach basil puree is lower in calories while maintaining flavor.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Part-skim mozzarella reduces fat while still melting well.

Italian sausage

🥗Healthier: chicken sausage

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Chicken sausage is leaner, while ground beef is often cheaper.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

In a large bowl, mix together warm water, a little bit of sugar, and a little bit of salt until dissolved.

Add a couple splashes of olive oil, then add whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and instant rapid rise yeast.

Using a fork, stir until it forms a shaggy mass, then knead the dough on a board until smooth, adding more flour as needed.

Place the dough into a clean, oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for a few minutes.

Push the dough onto some parchment paper and press it out using your hands or a rolling pin until you have your desired shape.

Preheat the oven and place the shaped dough on a pizza stone to pre-bake for a few minutes until puffy and slightly crusted, then remove and set aside to cool.

In a large skillet, toast some fennel seeds to bring out their flavor, then add ground pork, salt, and a few cracks of pepper.

Add a little bit of nutmeg, breaking up the meat with a spatula, and stir together.

Chop fresh thyme and parsley, and add them to the skillet along with pressed garlic cloves.

Chop onion finely and add it to the skillet, letting it sauté with the meat mixture.

Slice mushrooms and cook them in the skillet until they are sautéed with the meat and onion, then remove the mixture and set aside to cool slightly.

Spread a thick layer of prepared basil pesto on the bottom of the pre-baked pizza dough, as the sauce.

Layer fresh spinach on top of the pesto, then add the meat mixture on top of the spinach.

Add shards of fresh mozzarella all over the pizza, then grate fresh parmesan cheese on top.

Sprinkle feta cheese all over the top of the pizza.

Bake the assembled pizza in the oven for about 15 minutes until the cheese is melting and gooey.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens