Italian Breakfast Pizzetta Recipe

Make dough

In a large bowl whisk together flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Add warm water (about 100–110°F / 38–43°C) and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle up to 2 tablespoons additional flour.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rest in a warm spot for 30–45 minutes until doubled.

Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) with a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet on the middle rack. If you have a convection/broil option use regular 475°F; for faster bake a preheated stone yields best crust.

Divide risen dough into four equal pieces for individual pizzettas. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll each piece into a 6–7 inch round about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer rounds to parchment paper for easy transfer to oven.

Prepare quick tomato sauce

In a small bowl combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, minced garlic, dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil. Stir until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. This is a light, uncooked pizza sauce meant to be spread thinly.

Spread about 2 tablespoons of the sauce over each dough round, leaving a 1/2 inch border for the crust.

Cook sausage

In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat add the crumbled Italian sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink and lightly browned, about 6–8 minutes. Drain any excess fat on paper towels.

Evenly distribute cooked sausage across the four sauced dough rounds (about 2 tablespoons per pizzetta). Scatter halved cherry tomatoes and torn or sliced fresh mozzarella across each pizzetta.

Season the assembled pizzettas with remaining 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and red pepper flakes. Drizzle about 1/4 tsp olive oil over each.

Bake with eggs

Using a peel or the parchment, transfer pizzettas to the preheated stone or sheet. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove from oven briefly and create a shallow well in the center of each pizzetta with the back of a spoon. Crack one egg into each well (for two pizzettas, crack two eggs total into separate wells). Return to oven and bake for another 5–7 minutes until egg whites are set but yolks are still slightly runny (adjust time for firmer yolks). Total bake time ~11–13 minutes depending on oven and thickness.

If mozzarella or edges brown too quickly, rotate pans or lower oven to 450°F and cover edges loosely with foil for remaining bake time.

Remove pizzettas from oven and sprinkle grated Parmesan over each. Let rest 1–2 minutes.

Toss baby arugula with lemon juice and a light drizzle of olive oil and season to taste. Top each pizzetta with a small handful of dressed arugula and scatter basil chiffonade over the top.

Serve immediately with an extra drizzle of olive oil and additional red pepper flakes if desired.