Fennel Sausage Pizza | Byron Talbott

fennel sausage

🥗Healthier: chicken sausage

💰Cheaper: pork sausage

Chicken sausage is lower in fat, while pork sausage is more affordable.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Part-skim mozzarella reduces calories, while provolone is often less expensive.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free, while grana padano is a cost-effective cheese alternative.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while canola oil is typically cheaper.

Add warm water to a bowl or measuring cup.

Add sugar, salt, yeast, and olive oil to the warm water and mix well.

Set the mixture aside for 10 minutes to ferment.

Chop fresh basil, oregano, and parsley until minced.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the chopped herbs with olive oil, garlic powder, and dry parmesan cheese, then mix well and set aside.

After 10 minutes, add a few cups of bread flour to the yeast mixture and fold it in for 5 to 7 minutes to build gluten strength.

If the dough gets too sticky, add a little more flour as needed until you have a tacky, soft dough.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it double in volume (ideally overnight for better flavor).

Grind roasted fennel seeds and chili flakes in a mortar, coffee grinder, or small food processor.

In a small mixing bowl, combine ground fennel mixture with pork sausage and form rough meatballs.

Place the meatballs in a small sauté pan or skillet and bake in a 500°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Generously flour a large working surface and turn the proofed dough out onto it.

Dust the top of the dough with flour and stretch it outwards to form a round shape.

Transfer the stretched dough to a metal tray or a pizza peel coated with semolina flour.

Spread the olive oil and herb mixture over the dough.

Place torn fennel sausage meatballs evenly around the pizza.

Add thinly sliced red onion and sliced fennel on top.

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a 550°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the pizza from the oven and top with fresh arugula and thinly shaved fennel, drizzling with olive oil.

Slice the pizza and serve.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens