Mushroom, Sausage & Fontina Cheese Recipe

Preheat and prepare dough

Preheat a brick oven or conventional oven with pizza stone to 500–550°F (260–290°C) for at least 45 minutes. If using a home oven, place pizza stone on middle-high rack. Lightly dust a pizza peel or work surface with 1/4 cup flour. Stretch or roll pizza dough into a 12" round, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. Transfer to a floured peel or parchment for easy transfer.

Brush the dough edge with 1 tablespoon olive oil to help crisp and brown the crust during baking.

Roast and season mushrooms

Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add the quartered cremini and sliced shiitake mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Sear without moving for 2–3 minutes to develop color, then stir and cook another 2–3 minutes until mushrooms are browned and any released liquid has mostly evaporated.

Add 3 cloves minced garlic and 8 sage leaves (chiffonade) to the skillet and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. If using a fresh black truffle, shave about 3 grams into the mushrooms and toss to combine off heat. Remove mushrooms to a bowl and keep warm.

Cook the sausage

In the same skillet over medium heat, add the 8 oz Fraboni's sausage (removed from casing) and break into small pieces with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Drain any excess fat on paper towels.

Shred or thinly slice 6 oz Fontina cheese and set aside. Keep 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan nearby for finishing.

Make the cream sauce

In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter over medium-low heat. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup whole milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the 6 chopped sage leaves, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. If you prefer a slightly thicker sauce, whisk in 1 teaspoon flour (mixed first into a slurry with 1 tablespoon cold milk) and simmer 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Taste and adjust seasoning. The sauce should be creamy and fragrant with sage — this will act as the base ‘sauce’ for the pizza, used sparingly so the pizza remains balanced.

Assemble the pizza

Spread a thin, even layer of the garlic–sage cream sauce over the stretched dough, leaving the outer 3/4"–1" rim bare. Distribute the cooked sausage pieces evenly over the sauced dough. Scatter the roasted mushrooms across the pizza. Top with the shredded or sliced Fontina in an even layer. Finish with a light sprinkle of the grated Parmesan around the center (not required on the crust). If using, lightly shave additional black truffle over the cheese now or reserve truffle oil for after baking.

Bake

Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone (or place on a baking sheet if not using a stone). Bake at 500–550°F (260–290°C) for 6–10 minutes in a brick oven or 8–12 minutes in a home oven. Bake until the crust is blistered and golden and the Fontina is melted and bubbly with some browned spots. Rotate once halfway through baking for even color if your oven has hot spots.

Finish

Remove pizza from oven. Lightly drizzle 1/2 teaspoon truffle oil or very thinly shaved black truffle over the hot pizza if desired. Sprinkle with the reserved 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan and garnish with chopped parsley or microgreens. Let rest 2 minutes, then slice and serve.