Description
This Pesto Potato Pizza with Sausage is a flavorful and satisfying twist on classic pizza. Featuring a crispy crust topped with creamy pesto, tender sautéed potatoes, savory Italian sausage, and a blend of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, this recipe offers a delightful combination of textures and tastes perfect for a casual dinner or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Pizza Base and Sauce
- 1 pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup pesto (store-bought or homemade)
Toppings
- 2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Seasonings
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and line a baking sheet or pizza stone with parchment paper to prepare for baking the pizza.
- Sauté the potatoes: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 5-7 minutes until slightly golden. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the sausage: In the same pan, crumble and cook the Italian sausage over medium heat until it is browned and cooked through, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess fat and set aside.
- Prepare the dough: Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface to your desired thickness. Transfer the dough carefully to the prepared baking sheet or pizza stone.
- Spread pesto: Evenly spread the pesto sauce over the pizza dough, leaving a small border around the edges for the crust.
- Add toppings: Arrange the sautéed potatoes and cooked sausage evenly over the pesto-covered dough.
- Add cheese: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese evenly on top of the toppings.
- Bake the pizza: Place the pizza in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust turns golden and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Slice and serve warm.
Notes
- For a crispier crust, use a pizza stone preheated in the oven.
- You can substitute Italian sausage with a vegetarian sausage if preferred.
- If pesto is homemade, consider using fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil blended together.
- Thinly slice potatoes to ensure they cook quickly and evenly during the sauté step.
- Make sure to drain excess fat from the sausage to avoid a greasy pizza.
- Feel free to add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
