PIZZA WITH SWEET AND HOT PEPPERS

Pizza With Sweet and Hot Peppers image

This pizza is in the light-handed California style, with no tomato sauce. If you prepare the dough in advance (it takes only 20 minutes or so, and can be refrigerated for several days), putting a pizza or two together for dinner is actually a breeze, arguably easier than making a pasta. Omit the sausage for a vegetarian version.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories dinner, quick, pizza and calzones, main course

Time 1h

Yield 4 10-inch pies

Number Of Ingredients 13

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Ingredients

6 cups thinly sliced bell pepper or other sweet pepper
2 cups thinly sliced red onion
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
4 balls of pizza dough, ready to stretch and bake (see recipe)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
8 ounces/225 grams low-moisture mozzarella or Fontina, grated
1 pound/450 grams fresh mozzarella
8 ounces/225 grams Italian fennel sausage (2 sausages in casings), cut into 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
Basil leaves, for garnish

Steps:

Prepare the pepper mixture: Place peppers, onion, jalapeño, garlic and oil in a mixing bowl. Season well with salt and toss to distribute seasoning, then set aside.
Heat oven to 500 degrees and place a baking stone or heavy baking sheet on middle rack.
Shape the dough: Pat 1 dough ball to a flat disc, lightly dust both sides with flour and stretch by hand to a 10-inch diameter. Alternatively, lightly dust dough with flour and roll out with a pin. Place dough circle on a parchment-lined rimless baking sheet (or use a rimmed baking sheet turned upside down, or a pizza peel).
Sprinkle each pizza evenly with 2 ounces of grated cheese, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top each with 4 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella. Arrange the pepper mixture over the cheeses and dot each pizza with 2 ounces of sausage meat in very small pieces. Sprinkle with a pinch of marjoram.
To bake, quickly slip the pizza, still on the parchment, onto the baking stone. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until dough is well browned and pepper mixture is slightly charred in spots. Use a large spatula to remove pizza from oven, discard parchment and place on a large cutting board. Garnish with basil leaves and cut into slices.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1288, UnsaturatedFat 26 grams, Carbohydrate 132 grams, Fat 57 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 60 grams, SaturatedFat 26 grams, Sodium 2473 milligrams, Sugar 12 grams