Today’s Spotlight is on Sausage Pizza.

Sausage pizza is a savory pizza made with crumbled pork sausage, shredded mozzarella, and pizza sauce. The sausage can be browned and paired with caramelized fennel, onion, and roasted red peppers. The pizza can also include other toppings like mushrooms, green pepper, and spinach.

Italian sausage is a type of sausage that is often used as a topping on pizzas. It is typically seasoned with fennel and other spices, which gives it a distinct flavor. The main ingredient that sets Italian sausage apart is fennel, a licorice-scented herb that gives it its unique taste.

Pizza sausage, on the other hand, can be made from a variety of meats and spices, and its flavor might be tailored to complement the other ingredients on the pizza.

The most common varieties of Italian sausage marketed in supermarkets are hot, sweet, and mild. The main difference between hot and mild is the addition of hot red pepper flakes to the spice mix of the former. The difference between mild and sweet is the addition of sweet basil in the latter.

Sausage is the second most popular pizza topping in the United States. In Chicago, sausage is the topping of choice and can be used in many different ways, including covering the entire crust or using golf ball-sized chunks.

 

History

The first evidence of Italian sausage dates back to the 1st century BC it’s likely that it was one of the first ingredients added to top pizza. Roman historian Marcus Terentius Varro described how soldiers learned to stuff spiced and salted meat into pig intestines. Italian sausage dates back to the 5th century BCE, 2000 years before pizza was invented. The Lucanian people taught Roman soldiers how to make sausage by packing minced meat into a casing with spices and salt. The sausage was originally called “lucanica”.

Chicago-style deep-dish pizza was originally invented in 1943 by Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago. Chicago-style pizza is known for its toppings, which often include sausage, pepperoni, ground beef, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions.

The Malnati family, including Rudy Malnati, Sr., and his son Lou Malnati, are credited with inventing Chicago-style pizza. Lou Malnati opened his own restaurant in Chicago’s suburb of Lincolnwood in 1971.

Regardless of who was first and who gets the credit, Chicago pizza helped launch our craving for sausage pizza.

Modern pizza is thought to have evolved from flatbreads like focaccia with toppings. The word “pizza” was first documented in 997 A.D.  The first Italian pizza restaurant, Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, began baking pizzas in 1738. In 1889, modern pizza was born when pizzamaker Raffaele Esposito created the “Pizza Margherita” for the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. Modern pizza became popular in America during the 1950s. Returning war vets stationed in Naples were wowed by Italian pizza and demanded it back in the states.

 

Here are some recipes for sausage pizza:

Homemade sausage pizza

This recipe uses crumbled pork sausage, shredded mozzarella, and homemade pizza sauce.

Easy sausage pizza

This recipe calls for removing the sausage from the casing and pinching it into dime-sized pieces. The sausage is then added to the pizza along with green pepper and cheese.

The Best Sausage Pizzas

This recipe calls for spreading pizza sauce over the crust and topping with cheese, onion, green pepper, mushrooms, and sausage. The pizza is then baked at 400° until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.

 

Here are some fun facts about sausage pizza:

• Pizza originated from a dish made by Persian soldiers in the 1st century BC. The dish was flatbread covered in dates and cheese and baked in the soldiers’ shields.
• Italian sausage dates back to the time of the Romans, in the first century BC.
• The average American eats about 46 slices of pizza per year.
• When making sausage pizza, you should precook the sausage. Italian sausage without the casing is considered the best type to use. You can buy sweet Italian sausage in bulk or buy sausage links and remove the casings. If you want a spicier pizza, you can use hot Italian sausage.
• According to a survey, pepperoni is America’s favorite pizza topping, with 38% of Americans choosing it over sausage.

 

Celebrating Sausage Pizza

October 11^th is recognized as National Sausage Pizza Day.

The first mention of “Sausage Pizza Day” in print dates from 2004 in Maryland.

The recipe for Chicago-style sausage pizza is said to date back to 1926 when it was served at Rosati’s Authentic Chicago Pizza. The recipe features a thick crust that’s baked in a skillet or deep, round pan. The crust is pressed into the pan to create a shape almost like a bowl for the toppings.

To celebrate, you can:

• Go to your favorite pizza restaurant.
• Order pizza to enjoy at home.
• Cook a sausage pizza yourself.

Sausage pizza can be served on a thin or thick crust and can be topped with other ingredients like mushrooms and cheese. Let us know in the comments who makes your favorite sausage pizza, even if it’s you!