Truffle & Sausage Pizza Recipe

Prepare and shape dough

If using refrigerated dough, bring to room temperature for 30–60 minutes so it stretches easily. Preheat your oven to highest setting (500–550°F / 260–290°C) or prep a wood-fired oven to ~700–900°F for a 2–3 minute cook. Lightly dust a work surface with 1/4 cup flour and stretch or roll the dough into a 12–14 inch round, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. Transfer the shaped dough to a pizza peel or an oiled baking sheet/pizza pan sprinkled with semolina or cornmeal if desired. Brush the outer 1/2-inch of the rim lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to promote browning.

Cook sausage

Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage (removed from casings) and break it up with a spatula. Cook 5–7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a bowl and leave rendered fat in the pan.

Sauté mushrooms

In the same skillet with the rendered fat, add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat until they release moisture and turn golden, about 6–8 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves during the last 60 seconds of cooking. Season with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (if using). Remove from heat and combine mushrooms with the cooked sausage. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Make the aioli while the sausage and mushrooms cool slightly. In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. Taste and adjust lemon or salt to preference.

Assemble the pizza

Spread a thin layer (about 1–2 tablespoons) of the lemon garlic aioli over the center of the stretched dough, leaving the outer rim bare. Evenly distribute the cooked sausage and sautéed mushrooms over the aioli. Scatter 8 ounces fresh mozzarella (torn or sliced) across the pizza, followed by a light sprinkle of 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Reserve a few green onion slices for garnish and scatter the rest across the pizza before baking.

Bake

Slide the pizza into the preheated oven or onto the hot stone in the wood-fired oven. Bake at 500–550°F for 7–10 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and slightly blistered (in a wood-fired oven, cook 90 seconds–3 minutes depending on heat). Rotate halfway if your oven has hot spots. Remove when crust is crisp and cheese has nice color.

Finish immediately after baking: place the pizza on a cutting board. Drizzle 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon black truffle oil evenly over the pizza. Scatter the remaining thinly sliced green onions and optional arugula or microgreens on top. Lightly grate a little more Parmesan if desired. Squeeze half a lemon (or to taste) over the finished pizza to brighten flavors. Cut into 6–8 slices and serve hot with extra lemon garlic aioli on the side for dipping.