This summer recipe, featuring flavorful ingredients, can be cooked on the grill. Up for a challenge? Try your hand at making home-made dough and fresh ricotta*. Serves 4.
Ingredients
½ lb bulk Italian sausage,
mild or hot
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, sliced ½” thick
1 garlic clove, sliced thinly
1 ea red, yellow and green bell peppers, seeded, ribs removed, julienned ½” wide
¼ t red chili flakes
2 t sugar
½ t fresh thyme leaves
1 c canned tomato sauce
½ t ea salt and pepper
1 lb Market pizza dough *
¼ c extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 t fresh oregano, chopped
½ lb ricotta
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil, torn for garnish
Steps
Form eight small sausage patties. Place into a large cast iron or heavy-bottom skillet on grill/stove over med heat and brown sausage until cooked through, approx. 6 min. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm. Wipe skillet with paper towel.
For peperonata, add 3 T olive oil to same skillet and place on grill/stove over med-high heat. Add onion; cook until softened, 6-8 min. Add sliced garlic and peppers and cook 5 min more, until softened. Add chili flakes, sugar, thyme and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10-15 min until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust sugar/salt if needed. Keep warm.
Cut dough into four pieces and roll each into a ball. Lightly oil dough balls and rest 10 min. (Recipe calls for two dough balls. Remaining dough can be oiled, tightly covered and refrigerated 3 days. Or wrap with plastic and freeze up to one month.)
For garlic oil, place ¼ c olive oil, garlic and oregano in a small saucepan, simmer slowly for 5 min and remove from heat.
Set grill to med-high heat. In a small bowl, dip one dough ball in flour, coating it. With hands or rolling pin, stretch or roll dough into an oval disc, 12” long and 6” wide. (Dough will contract slightly.) If dough resists, rest for 5 min and stretch or roll again – even thickness prevents burning while grilling. Repeat process with second dough ball.
Carefully place dough onto grill and allow underside to char and top to bubble, approx. 40-60 sec. Turn dough over; grill additional 20 sec. Remove from grill and brush with garlic oil.
To assemble, place half of peperonata atop each grilled focaccia, top with four sausage patties and dot with ricotta. Drizzle with garlic oil, season with salt and pepper and garnish with torn basil leaves. Cut in half and serve immediately.
* To make this recipe gluten-free friendly, use gluten-free flat bread.
