HHjr & I decided to have a pizza cook off with a little help from Trader Joe’s and Trader Giotto’s, their cute brand name for all things Italian…
It was sort of a guy versus gal kind of thing…
His was made with traditional dough, marinara sauce, sweet Italian sausage, pepperoni and mushrooms
Hers was made with garlic herb pizza dough, alfredo sauce, spinach, artichoke hearts, and 4 kinds of cheese
His was thin crust, round and cooked on the grill
Hers was thick crust, rectangular and baked in the oven
Mama Mià, we had a feast!
Funny thing was, he liked mine the best and I liked his the best!!
Both of these pizzas are so easy, you can make them and have them in the oven in the time you’d be waiting for your doorbell to ring…
4 Cheese Spinach & Artichoke Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh garlic & herb pizza dough*
- 16 oz frozen artichoke hearts
- 1 bag fresh baby spinach
- 4 oz grated Swiss and Gruyère cheese {buy a mix or grate your own}
- 2-4 oz crumbled bleu cheese {adjust to your taste}
- 2 oz Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup light Alfredo sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- olive oil
- cooked chicken ham, bacon or prosciutto, optional
Instructions
- Lightly spray a standard size rimmed baking sheet with oil spray. Roll out or stretch dough into a large rectangle to fit. Prick dough all over with a fork and partially bake for 10 minutes at 400.
- Drizzle a large skillet with olive oil and saute spinach, stirring over medium high heat until it wilts down. Add artichokes and minced garlic {optional} and stir 1-2 more minutes. Set aside.
- Remove crust from oven and top with Alfredo sauce, spreading into a thin layer. Top with spinach and artichokes, distributing evenly over sauce. Sprinkle with cheeses.
- Return to oven and bake for 15-25 more minutes, or until crust is golden and everything looks hot and melty.
- Makes 1 large rectangular pizza. Cut into 8 large squares for a meal, or smaller squares for appetizer servings.
Notes
Italian Sausage, Pepperoni & Mushroom Grilled Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 lb plain pizza dough
- 1 cup marinara or pizza sauce
- 2-3 sweet Italian sausages
- 8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 16-20 large slices pepperoni or more if using smaller slices
- 4 oz grated mozzarella fontina, or jack cheese
- 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Remove dough from refrigerator and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Remove casings from sausages and brown and crumble in skillet over medium heat. Remove and drain on paper towels. Add mushrooms to pan and cook them in sausage renderings until done. Remove to paper towels. Add pepperoni to skillet and cook until it releases the fat and starts to crisp. Drain on paper towels
- Cut dough in half. Roll out each half into a large circle. Spread each dough round with 1/2 cup sauce. Divide toppings on pizzas, beginning with grated mozzarella and ending with Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake or grill at 400 for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is done and turning golden and cheese is melted.
Notes:
Let dough rest at room temperature for easier rolling
Divide dough in half to make 2 thin crust pizzas
Add prosciutto, ham, cooked chicken or bacon to the spinach and artichoke pizza if desired
Garnish Italian sausage pizza with red pepper flakes for a little heat
Mangia Mangia!
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