Honey Badger Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet on the middle rack for at least 30 minutes. If using a baking sheet, flip it so the flat side faces up for a crisper bottom. Sprinkle semolina or cornmeal on a pizza peel or sheet to prevent sticking.

Stretch or roll dough: On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough to a 12-inch round (or desired shape) about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to the prepared peel or parchment paper. Brush the perimeter lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to help browning.

Cook onions: Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and 1 teaspoon salt; toss to coat.

Caramelize: Cook the onions slowly, stirring every 3–5 minutes so they soften and brown evenly. After 15–25 minutes they should be deeply golden and sweet. If they stall or dry, add 1–2 tablespoons water. Stir in 1 teaspoon brown sugar toward the end for deeper color and flavor, then remove from heat and set aside.

Cook the sausage: In a skillet over medium heat, crumble and cook the 10 oz Italian sausage until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Break into small bite-sized pieces. Drain any excess fat on paper towels. If sausage is already pre-cooked, just heat through and drain.

Assemble cheeses: Spoon dollops of whole-milk ricotta (about 1–1½ tablespoon per dollop) across the center of the stretched dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the surface, leaving some of the ricotta visible. Scatter cooked sausage and the caramelized onions evenly over the cheese. Finish with the 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan.

Bake the pizza: Slide the pizza (on the peel or on parchment) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 8–12 minutes, rotating once if needed, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.

Make the spicy honey: While the pizza bakes, whisk together 3 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Taste and adjust heat or acidity as desired (add more red pepper flakes for heat or another 1/2 tsp vinegar to brighten).

Finish & garnish: When the pizza is out of the oven, let rest 1–2 minutes. Drizzle the spicy honey evenly over the hot pizza (about half first, taste, then more as desired). Grind fresh black pepper over the top to taste and scatter chopped fresh basil or parsley if using. Slice and serve immediately.