Nino's Favorite Recipe

Preheat and prepare dough

Place a pizza stone or baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. Lightly flour your work surface with the all-purpose flour. If using cold dough, let it rest at room temperature 20–30 minutes so it becomes pliable. Stretch or roll the dough into a 12-inch round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Transfer to a piece of parchment or a well-floured peel.

Brush the outer 1/2-inch of the dough lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to promote browning and prevent sauce sogginess.

Assemble sauce and cheese

Spread the tomato pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the oiled rim exposed (about 1/2 inch). Use approximately 3 ounces of sauce for a thin, balanced layer.

Evenly scatter 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella over the sauced surface, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons grated pecorino romano or parmesan across the top for savory depth.

Prepare sausage

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble the 6 ounces of sausage into the skillet and cook, stirring and breaking up pieces, until no longer pink and lightly browned, about 5–7 minutes. Drain any excess fat on paper towel. If sausage is pre-cooked, simply warm it through.

Distribute the cooked sausage evenly over the cheese layer.

Add peppers and optional items

Arrange 4 jarred cherry pepper rings evenly across the pizza. Scatter 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion if using. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes across the top if you want extra heat.

Bake

Carefully slide the pizza (on parchment or peel) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling with slight browning, 8–12 minutes depending on oven and stone heat. Rotate once halfway for even baking.

Remove pizza from oven. Immediately season with 1/8 teaspoon flaky sea salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil over the top. If using, scatter 4 fresh basil leaves torn and distributed across the hot pizza.

Let rest 2–3 minutes, then slice into 6–8 wedges and serve hot.