Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

3/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, 2 tablespoons of oil reserved
1 pound Italian hot sausages, casings removed *(substitute chicken sausage leaving the casings on and cut on the sausage on the bias) use a savory chicken sausage
2 (8-ounce) packages frozen artichoke hearts
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
16 ounces fusilli pasta or any corkscrew pasta or rigatoni/penne/ bowtie
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
8 ounces water-packed fresh mozzarella, drained and cubed, optional
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Procedures:

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes.

If using chicken sausages cook the sausages as directed on the packaging and then continue with the recipe.

Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fusilli in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta (do not rinse). Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve, passing the additional Parmesan cheese alongside

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound pizza dough, thawed, if frozen
1 pound Italian sausage, casings discarded *(substitute chicken sausage leaving the casings on and cut on the sausage on the bias) use a savory chicken sausage
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced green bell pepper *(red, orange and yellow make great substitutions or a combination of all three or four!)
1 cup thinly sliced onion
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
2 cups fresh marinara sauce, available in refrigerator sections of supermarkets
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
2 cups pre-grated mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 pound)
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Thinly sliced basil leaves, if desired

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Oil a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Roll out or stretch dough to fit into skillet, pressing it with oiled fingers until it comes 2 inches up the sides and is an even thickness on bottom. Let dough rise in a warm place for 10 minutes.

In a skillet set over moderate heat cook the sausage, stirring, until it is no longer pink. If using chicken sausages cook the sausages as directed on the packaging and then continue with the recipe.

Transfer to a plate. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and heat it until hot. Add the peppers, onion, salt and pepper and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Return the sausage to the pan, add the Marinara sauce and oregano and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes more.

Sprinkle dough with half of mozzarella and top with sausage mixture and remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan and drizzle with remaining oil. Bake in lower third of an electric oven or on floor of a gas oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake 10 minutes more, or until crust is golden. Sprinkle with basil.

Note: If you would like more spice to your dish, you can add a dash of crushed red pepper to the marinara sauce.

Ingredients:

1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus some chopped for garnish
4 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
2 lemons, halved
2 quarts water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 whole artichokes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound chicken sausages
3 vine-ripened tomatoes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Procedure:

First thing to do is steam the artichokes in a flavorful broth. Put the parsley, garlic, bay leaves, wine, and 1 of the halved lemons in a wide pot, add 2 quarts of water, and bring to a simmer. Season the broth with salt and pepper. In the meantime prepare the artichokes.

Wash the artichokes under cold water. Using a paring knife, trim the bottom end of the stem and shave the stem down to expose the tender, inner part of the artichoke. Snap or cut off the outer petals until you reach the pale green, soft leaves in the center. Cut 1-inch off the top of the artichoke. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.

Place the artichokes in the steaming liquid. Cover and simmer on medium-low for about 20 minutes, or until there is no resistance when a knife is inserted into the base. Remove the artichokes from the poaching liquid with tongs. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the hairy choke from the center and discard. Try and keep the artichoke intact as best you can, it looks great for presentation.

Place a large deep skillet over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and cook for 5 minutes to render out the fat and brown the sausage slightly; they should not be fully cooked through. Take the sausage out of the pan and slice it up. Cut the tomatoes in half and then squeeze them into a bowl to hand crush; drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of oil and a pinch of salt. Toss the sausage slices back into the pan and pour in the tomatoes, along with any juice that has accumulated in the bowl. Cook for 3 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down and soften. Now it’s time for the artichokes to go in there. Nestle these little beauties into the sausage and tomato mixture; season with salt and pepper. Add the butter and let it melt, give a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor, and serve.

Yield: 3 pizzas

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough:
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting

Topping:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand crushed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sweet Italian sausages *(substitute chicken sausage leaving the casings on and cut on the sausage on the bias) use a savory chicken sausage
1 (8-ounce) ball fresh buffalo mozzarella, water drained or you can substitute fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Procedures:

For the dough: In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes. Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it’s crumbly, add more water; if it’s sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it’s smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes so it will be easier to roll out. In the meantime, make the pizza topping.
For the topping: Coat a sauté pan with the olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onion and garlic, cook and stir for 5 minutes to soften. Stir in 1/2 bunch torn basil leaves. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes), cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper and then take it off the stove.

Preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue and get it very hot. Brush the grates with oil to keep the sausages from sticking. Grill the sausages until cooked through, turning with tongs. Set aside. Keep the grill hot to make the pizza.

Roll or pat out a piece of dough into a rustic, oblong shape, about 1/4-inch thick – do this directly on a lightly floured pizza paddle for ease. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and lay oil-side down onto the hot grill. Once the dough looks set, in about 2 minutes, turn the crust over. Spread the tomato sauce evenly on the crust with a ladle. Rip the mozzarella into pieces with your hands and distribute them on top; crumble the grilled sausage all over the pizza ( If using chicken sausage, cut them on the bias and place on the pizza). Close the grill cover and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the pizza from grill and sprinkle with some fresh basil leaves and a good dusting of Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Notes:You can try adding mushrooms, a variety of sweet peppers, and onions if you like to your pizza. Also you can make the pizza in your bread machine. Try a spicy sausage or sprinkle your pizza with crushed red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder or dry Italian herbs