Meiomi Pinot Noir with Grilled Spicy Sausage Pizza Insalata
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients:
• 1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
• 1 pound fresh pizza dough ball
• Vegetable or olive oil, for grill grates
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella
• 2 ounces (½ cup) blue cheese, finely crumbled
• 2 cups baby arugula
• Juice of 1 lemon (2 to 3 tablespoons)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup shaved Parmesan
Directions:
1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage. Break it up with a spatula or spoon into small crumbles until cooked through. Transfer the cooked sausage meat to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
2. Preheat grill to high heat (500°F to 600°F).
3. Sprinkle a large rimless baking sheet (or the underside of a rimmed baking sheet) with flour. Cut the ball of pizza dough in half, and use a floured rolling pin to roll out each half, so that it’s about 10 inches wide.
It is very important that you do not roll your dough too thin (wider than 1 inches), or it will burn and stick to the grill.
3. Coat grill grates with oil by soaking a wad of paper towels in oil, then grabbing the wad with tongs and wiping them over the grill grates. Slide the pizza crusts onto the grill. Close the grill and cook for 1 1/2 to 2
minutes. Use the tongs to flip the pizza crusts. Close the lid and cook for 1/2 to 2 additional minutes. Use the tongs to transfer the pizza crusts back to the baking sheet.
4. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil on pizza crusts. Divide the garlic, cheese, and sausage between the two crusts, going all the way to the
edges instead of leaving a border around the outside.
5. Return pizzas to the grill for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Use tongs to return the pizzas to the baking sheet or to a large platter.
6. Meanwhile, toss the arugula, lemon juice, remaining tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt together in a large bowl.
7. Top the pizzas with the salad. Sprinkle shaved Parmesan over
top. Serve with Meiomi Pinot Noir.