Pizzas

[Ruff Justice]

SAUSAGE AND ROASTED PEPPER CALZONE

Crust:
15-ounce package pie crusts

Filling:
1 pound sweet italian sausage
1 each garlic clove minced
¼ teaspoon italian seasoning
2 eggs
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubes
¼ cup pine nuts
½ cup sliced green onions
¼ teaspoon basil leaves
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, chopped

Heat oven to 400. Allow both crust pouches to stand at room temp 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, in large skillet brown sausage with onions and garlic; drain. Stir in basil, Italian seasoning and pepper. In small bowl, beat eggs with fork; reserve 1-½ tablespoon; set aside. Add ricotta cheese to remaining eggs; mix well. Stir into sausage mixture. Add mozzarella cheese, peppers and 3 tablespoons of the pine nuts. Remove crusts from pouches; unfold. Press out fold lines. Place 1 prepared crust on end of large ungreased cookie sheet with about 1/3 of crust hanging over edge. Spoon half of sausage mixture over half of crust on cookie sheet, leaving about 1inch border and mounding filling towards center. Fold pie crust half over filling press edges with fork to seal. Cut four 1 inch slits in top of crust. Repeat with second crust and remaining filling at opposite end of cookie sheet. Brush with reserved 1-½ tablespoons egg. Sprinkle with remaining pine nuts. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. To serve cut each calzone in half or into 3 wedges.

[Ruff Justice]

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH

1/4 ounce active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (to 2 1/4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl proof the yeast with the sugar in 1/3 cup lukewarm water for 10 minutes, or until it is foamy. Stir in an additional 1/3 cup lukewarm water, oil, 2 cups flour, and salt and blend mixture until it forms a dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of the remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Alternatively, the dough may be made in a food processor. Proof the yeast as described above and in a food processor combine it with the remaining ingredients. Process the mixture until it forms a ball, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if it is too dry, or more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if it is too wet, and knead the dough by processing it for 15 seconds. Put the dough, prepared by either method, in an oiled bowl and turn it to coat it with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is double in bulk, and punch it down. The dough is now ready to be formed into pizzas

[Ruff Justice]

PESTO PIZZA

DOUGH
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sweetener
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup white flour
3 cups whole wheat flour

PESTO TOPPING
2 cups densely packed fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 large garlic cloves
zest from 1 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil

VEGETABLE TOPPING
12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts
3 large tomatoes, sliced thinly
1 cup zucchini, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts

DOUGH: Combine yeast, sweetener and warm water. Whisk in salt and oil and let sit for 10 minutes. Add flours, 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary. Let rise for an hour. Deflate by punching down the dough.

PESTO TOPPING: Process basil, pine nuts, garlic and zest in food processor until smooth. With blender running, drizzle in the oil to form a thick paste.

TO ASSEMBLE: Sprinkle 10" X 15" baking sheet with cornmeal. Place dough in center and press out from the center until the baking sheet is covered with dough. Spread dough with a thin layer of pesto. Arrange artichoke hearts, tomato slices and zucchini evenly over the pizza. Dot with more pesto and sprinkle with pine nuts. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes or until the crust is well cooked and browned.

[Ruff Justice]

BANANA SPLIT BROWNIE PIZZA

3/4 cup shortening; melted
1/4 cup butter or margarine; melted
3/4 cup baking cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs; beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt


Topping
16-ounces cream cheese; softened
2/3 cup sugar
8-ounces pineapple tidbits
1 ripe banana; sliced
1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
1/4 cup chopped pecans; toasted
1-ounces semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

In a large bowl, combine shortening, butter and cocoa. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into egg mixture. Spread evenly over a wellgreased 12-inch pizza pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes cool. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth; spread over brownie crust. Drain the pineapple, reserving juice; dip banana slices in juice (then discard the juice). Arrange bananas, pineapple and strawberries over cream cheese layer; sprinkle with pecans. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and butter; drizzle over top of pizza. Chill for 1 hour. Refrigerate any leftovers.

[Ruff Justice]

SUPER STUFFED PIZZA

1/2 pound italian sausage casings removed
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms sliced
1 small onion chopped
1 small green bell pepper chopped
2 frozen thin-crust cheese pizzas (17 ounce each), thawed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounce)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place a 2 1/2-foot sheet of aluminum foil on a 12- to 14- inch pizza pan. In a large skillet, cook the sausage, mushrooms, onion, and pepper over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sausage is browned and the vegetables are fork-tender, drain. Place 1 pizza cheese-side up on the pan and spread the sausage mixture evenly over the pizza. Top with the remaining pizza cheese-side down, pressing the pizzas together. Fold and seal the aluminum foil over the stuffed pizza. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through. Uncover the pizza, brush the top with the oil and sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden.