Spicy sausage and pepperoni pizza
A gently spicy pizza made with a margherita base and topped with pepperoni, homemade sausagemeat, red onion, fresh basil and grated Parmesan. Use the best Italian ingredients to ensure the best results.
This recipe is based on the The Don pizza served at Stefani’s in Blackpool. It has been adapted to make it easier to cook in a domestic kitchen and offers substitutes for any elements they wish to keep secret (such as the pizza dough).
Ingredients
For the pizza dough
- 500g/1lb 2oz strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 330ml/11½fl oz lukewarm water
- 2 x 7g sachets quick action yeast
- 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
For the homemade sausagemeat
- 500g/1lb 2oz pork mince
- 4 tbsp finely chopped sage
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp paprika
- generous pinch chilli flakes
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pizza toppings
Method
To make the pizza dough, place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix the lukewarm water with the yeast and sugar in a jug and leave for a few minutes to activate. Pour into the flour, along with the olive oil, and knead until you have a smooth, soft and elastic dough. Alternatively, use a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix on high for 5–10 minutes.
Transfer to a large, greased bowl and cover with a damp tea-towel. Allow to prove in a warm place for around an hour, or until doubled in size (alternatively leave to prove overnight in the fridge). Once the dough has risen, knock it back and knead again briefly until smooth, then return to the greased bowl and allow to rise for another 30 minutes–1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
To make the homemade sausagemeat, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine (you can leave the mixture in the fridge overnight to allow the flavours to mingle, or cook straight away). Place on a baking tray and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Turn the oven to its highest setting (ideally 280C/260C Fan/Gas 10). Place a large, non-stick baking sheet in the oven to preheat for 5 minutes.
Divide the dough into four equal balls. On a floured surface, hand stretch and shape each ball into four rounds (using a rolling pin if needed), going as thin as possible – pressing and shaping with your hands until each ball is around 28cm/11in wide.
Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle with a good dusting of flour. Arrange one of the pizza bases on the tray. (You will need to cook the pizzas in batches.)
Ladle 4 tablespoons of passata onto the base, spreading almost to the edges. Top with some sliced onion and arrange 40g/1½oz pepperoni slices on top. Crumble over a quarter of the sausagemeat, then top with a quarter of the Parmesan. Tear half a ball of mozzarella evenly over the top and season with salt and pepper.
Cook in the hot oven for 6–8 minutes, until the base is charred and the cheese is melted and golden. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings, scattering with some fresh basil leaves to serve.
