Sausage and Hot Honey Pizza
The defining move is baking the dough on a thoroughly preheated steel or inverted sheet pan so the thin crust turns crisp before the cheese can overcook. I build the topping in layers: browned fennel…
Ingredients
- 1 lb prepared pizza dough, about 1 pound
- 8 oz mild Italian pork sausage, casings removed
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 6 oz low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
- 3 oz provolone, shredded
- 2 tablespoons hot honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and let it sit at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, until relaxed and slightly puffy. Meanwhile, position a pizza steel, baking stone, or heavy inverted rimmed sheet pan on the lowest oven rack and preheat the oven to 500°F for at least 45 minutes. The long preheat matters: a cold pan produces pale, soft pizza rather than a crisp tavern-style base.
- Prepare the toppings before stretching the dough. Combine the crushed tomatoes, grated garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl; do not simmer the sauce, because its brief bake in the oven will preserve a bright tomato flavor. Shred the mozzarella and provolone, slice the onion into even half-moons, and keep the hot honey nearby for finishing.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage in small pieces and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned in distinct crumbles and no pink remains. Transfer it to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet; browned bits provide the savory backbone of the topping.
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium, add the sliced onion, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every minute or two. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil if the pan looks dry. The onions are ready when softened, lightly golden at the edges, and sweet-smelling but not deeply caramelized; season them only lightly, since the sausage and cheeses already bring salt.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and press it into a rectangle, expelling large air pockets while preserving a little elasticity. Stretch or roll it to approximately 12 by 16 inches, aiming for a center about 1/8 inch thick with a slightly thicker perimeter. If the dough springs back, cover it and rest it for 10 minutes before continuing; forcing it will make the crust contract in the pan.
- Carefully transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment or a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. Dock the center with a fork, leaving a 1-inch border untouched; this prevents large bubbles while allowing the edge to lift. Spread the tomato mixture in a very thin, even layer, stopping just short of the border so moisture does not soften the rim.
- Scatter the cooked sausage and onions evenly over the sauce, then distribute the mozzarella and provolone all the way close to the edges. The cheese should form a nearly continuous layer, with only small gaps showing the toppings; excessive piles of sausage or cheese trap steam and defeat the crisp crust. Slide the assembled pizza, still on the parchment, onto the preheated steel or baking surface.
- Bake at 500°F for 10 minutes, then rotate the pizza 180 degrees for even browning. Continue baking for 5 to 8 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is fully melted with toasted spots, the perimeter is deep golden, and the underside is firm and crisp when lifted with a spatula. If the top is browning before the base sets, move the pizza to a higher rack for the final 2 minutes.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately drizzle the hot honey in thin zigzags over the cheese, using the full 2 tablespoons or less to taste. Let it rest on the pan for 3 minutes; this brief pause allows the molten cheese to settle and the crust to finish crisping without becoming brittle. A properly rested pizza should yield cleanly to a knife while the center remains supple.
- Use a pizza wheel or sharp chef's knife to cut the pie into 12 small squares, Chicago tavern-style. Serve hot on warmed plates, with the crisp corners and browned edge pieces distributed fairly. For a cold-weather meal, pair it with a bitter green salad or a bowl of tomato soup, keeping the pizza itself as the hearty centerpiece.
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