Gladiator Recipe

Name: Cork & Pig Taverns GLADIATOR Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 unit pizza dough (store-bought or homemade, 12–14 inch); 2 tbs semolina or cornmeal (for dusting peel); 3 tbs tomato sauce (plain or lightly seasoned); 1 tsp olive oil; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 8 oz Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed and crumbled; 1 unit red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 2 cups mozzarella blend (shredded low-moisture mozzarella plus provolone), shredded; 1 tbs fresh oregano (or additional dried oregano); 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (optional); 1 tbs grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan (optional, for finishing); 1 tsp olive oil (for brushing)

Inspired by Cork & Pig Tavern

Time45m

Serves2

italian sausage, oregano, red bell peppers, mozzarella blend, tomato sauce

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Ingredients

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Dough & Assembly

1 unit pizza dough (store-bought or homemade, 12–14 inch)

2 tbs semolina or cornmeal (for dusting peel)

Sauce

3 tbs tomato sauce (plain or lightly seasoned)

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp Dried oregano

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Toppings

8 oz Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed and crumbled

1 unit red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cups mozzarella blend (shredded low-moisture mozzarella plus provolone), shredded

1 tbs fresh oregano (or additional dried oregano)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1 tbs grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan (optional, for finishing)

1 tsp olive oil (for brushing)

Method

Dough & Assembly

prepare oven

Preheat your wood-fired oven or conventional oven to the highest pizza temperature (wood-fired ~700–900°F / conventional 500–550°F with pizza stone) at least 45 minutes before cooking. Place a pizza stone or steel in the oven to heat thoroughly if using a conventional oven.

If using store-bought dough, let it rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes so it relaxes. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll dough into a 12–14 inch round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Transfer the stretched dough to a pizza peel dusted with semolina or cornmeal to prevent sticking.

Sauce

Combine the tomato sauce, olive oil, dried oregano, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning — the sauce should be slightly under-salted because the cheese and sausage add salt. Spread 3 tablespoons of the sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch rim for the crust.

Toppings

Cook the sausage: in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the crumbled Italian sausage (no additional oil required if sausage has fat). Cook, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat on paper towels and blot lightly so toppings are not greasy.

Prepare the red pepper: while the sausage cooks, slice the red bell pepper into thin strips. For a slightly softer, charred flavor, quickly sauté the strips in 1 tsp olive oil for 2–3 minutes over medium-high heat, or leave raw for more crunch. Pat dry if sautéed.

Assemble the pizza: sprinkle an even layer of the 2 cups shredded mozzarella blend over the sauced dough. Distribute the browned Italian sausage evenly over the cheese, then scatter the sliced red bell pepper. Sprinkle the fresh oregano leaves (or additional dried oregano) evenly on top. If you like heat, add the 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes sparingly.

Brush the exposed crust lightly with 1 tsp olive oil to promote browning. If desired, finish with a light dusting of grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan over the top.

Bake: Slide the pizza into the preheated wood-fired oven or onto the stone/steel in the conventional oven. In a wood-fired oven, cook 90 seconds to 3 minutes, turning regularly for even char (oven dependent). In a conventional oven at 500–550°F, bake 8–12 minutes until the crust is golden and blistered and cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Finish and rest: Remove pizza from the oven and let rest on a cutting board 2 minutes. This lets the cheese set slightly. Taste and adjust with a pinch of extra oregano or grated cheese if desired. Slice into 6–8 slices and serve hot.