This year I ventured out and added a small patch of arugula to my edible landscaping. I’d been dying to try it and so added it two ways to this pizza recipe. I sauteed half of it along with the Detwiler’s Hot Sausage I’d picked up and used the other half as a garnish. The pizza was delish and the arugula really helped to balance the richness of the sausage and cheese. Currently, I’m letting the arugula go to seed in hopes that it will return on its own next spring because I definitely want to make this pizza again.

Hot Sausage and Arugula Pizza 

Ingredients:

1 homemade or store bought Pizza Dough

2 Hot Sausage links or sausage of choice, diced

about 1 cup Smoked Gouda, shredded

about 1 cup shredded Italian Cheese Blend

1 tbsp EVOO, or oil of choice

about 1/4 cup Pizza Sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 cups fresh Arugula, divided

Method:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Preheat a cast iron pizza pan, or pizza pan of choice, in the oven at least 15 minutes. Roll out the dough with a bit of flour or cornmeal until it is large enough to fit on the pizza pan. Remove pizza pan from oven and carefully add the dough to the pan. Return the pan to the oven and flashbake the dough 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. In a cast iron skillet over med high flame, saute the sausage in the EVOO until crisp. Add half of the arugula and continue to cook until the arugula has wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the flame. Cover the dough with pizza sauce, layer on the cheese, and finish with the sausage and arugula. Bake the pizza in the oven 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is crisp and the cheese is golden and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 5 minutes. Top the pizza with the remaining arugula and serve immediately.