Apple, sausage, blue cheese, arugula

[Xene]

With Fall upon us I thought I would share a pizza that has become our family favorite. I even served this to teenagers at a recent party where they all claimed it was their favorite too.

It was kind of an accidental discovery, as I had made this salad for visitors for lunch: Belgian Endive, Apple And Almond Salad Recipe but it was so garlicky that no one could eat it and I had only used one clove. So instead of throwing it out, I put it on pizza. I no longer use the endive though, it is seasonal and hard to get, so I substitute Italian parsley instead. The almond slices are a must! You would not believe how good the leftovers are on a salami flat bread sandwich the next day!

I use a white sauce on my pizzas that is equal parts mayonnaise and finely grated parmesan (not that dry shaker stuff), a little white pepper, garlic, and enough heavy cream to make it loose enough to come out of the squeeze bottle I dispense it from. Since it is mayo, I set it in a cup of ice water while I'm out in the heat just to keep it cool. That makes the sauce for this one.

I add some Italian sausage, crumbles of blue cheese, and top it with a light layer of mozz, drizzle it with olive oil and bake.

When it come out of the oven I grab a big handful of arugula and squeeze a bit of lemon on it and toss it with a touch of olive oil (I usually have some receptacle to mix it in nearby) and then put it on the hot pizza.

I get pretty creative with my pizza toppings but this one had to be shared. It is terribly delicious. I have a few pictures, a few of the prep area and me making the pizza, note the amount of toppings - the other is the finished product...not the most beautiful one I've ever made, but the only one we could pause consumption of to get a picture. Enjoy!

[kd2724]

Re: Apple, sausage, blue cheese, arugula

Sounds fantastic! I'll have to try that one. I have had many sausage and arugula pizzas but never with blue cheese. I don't know if you have ever planted arugula but that stuff grows like a weed! In fact it has sprouted up all over the place and returns every year.

On another note it looks like the steam table inserts fit right into your counter top? Great idea!

[Greenman]

Re: Apple, sausage, blue cheese, arugula

That looks and sounds great! The white sauce sounds interesting for something different. Your whole setup shows the results of careful planning and care with the construction.

[Xene]

Re: Apple, sausage, blue cheese, arugula

Thanks! I read a reply here that mentioned that the one thing they would change about their build was to add a hole for a beer bottle, that they had knocked it over with the peel handle on more than one occasion. It sparked the notion that if everything was sunk into the counter it would keep it from getting knocked over so I sunk the ingredient buckets into the countertop.

I actually love it! They all stack inside one another so they are easy to store in the house, and all of them have lids, so I can fill them and stack them in the fridge, bring them out and set them into the counter all on one tray. I'd change only the fact that they fit in straight, if I was doing it again, I'd angle them just a bit, making the back part of the counter just a little higher because I'm short and an angle would make them just a little easier to reach into and see the bottoms.

On the pizza, thanks again, this is our favorite by far - I'm certain you won't be disappointed if you give it a try. The lemon toss at the end on the arugula sends it over the top. I can't wait to thaw and get back to pizza - 3 ft of snow on my WFO right now.

@kd2724 - we can only grow arugula for about a month before it bolts due to the heat here in Iowa...but it is so much better from the garden (like our kale) yum!

[Mitchamus]

Re: Apple, sausage, blue cheese, arugula

Hi Xene,

Love your prep bench! - I had that same idea and tried to explain it to my other half, who said it would be easier to Fab a angled Stainless Steel box that sat on the bench top and held the bain-mairie inserts at an angle. (with perhaps room for ice in the bottom)

We're still not seeing eye-to-eye on the issue.
Seeing yours has made me even more determined to get my way

great idea on the beer holder too - stealing that one for sure!

[Xene]

Re: Apple, sausage, blue cheese, arugula

Mine is actually big enough to hold an insert as that was my intent too, to hold ice to keep the ingredients cool but I find that it isn't needed (and the cost to have it fabricated broke my budget.) The concrete counter top makes a decent heat barrier, so even on hot days the ingredients stay cool enough. Honestly, if it is unbearably hot, I can't stand out there and make pizza anyway. I don't use raw meat either, I precook.

I love having the counter space flat and being able to talk to my guests while they sit behind the counter on the other side watching. If I have a big party with 30+ guests, I can use that space to have friends help make the pizzas and they can reach the ingredients easily from that side too. It has been a good design feature. I'm really happy with it. I did buy bigger containers than I needed and had to go back and get the smaller ones. I prefer the 1/4 and 1/8 size pans, I like lots of variety and the smaller ones are plenty big enough.

How your fabricated box will weather might be another consideration that will win you the battle. A hole in the concrete is pretty impervious. I did reinforce the narrow band that connects the front to the back space, and I scored it to keep the potential cracks controlled.