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A Winter Pizza

The January 2018 edition of Southern Living Magazine had a great recipe for a winter pizza. It's a sausage and kale pesto pizza - simple, flavorful, and foolproof. And aside from the perfect ingredients, it is cooked in a cast-iron skillet, providing for the perfect wintry deep dish, crispy crust.

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough (at room temperature)

8 oz. Italian sausage, casings removed

4 Tbsp. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 cup chopped kale leaves

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 garlic cloves

6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

2. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat, until browned. While cooking, break the sausage into small bite-sized pieces. Add the onions and sauté until tender and slightly browned. Remove from heat.

3. Make the kale pesto - in a food processor, combine the kale, basil, 2 Tbsp. of EVOO, garlic cloves, and Parmesan. Process until mostly smooth, or the desired consistency.

4. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. of EVOO and swirl to coat the pan. 

5. Stretch the dough and carefully place into the hot skillet, pressing on the bottom and sides. Cook over medium to high heat for about 2-3 minutes, until the dough wants to start to bubble.

6. Quickly spread the kale pesto evenly over the bottom of the crust. Top with mozzarella, sausage, and onions. Sprinkle the crushed red pepper over the toppings. Lastly, brush the edges of the crust with the remaining 1 Tbsp. of EVOO. 

7. Place the pizza in the oven until cooked (cheese melted, crust browned), about 12 - 15 minutes.