Fall is officially here and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m definitely one of those people that buys pumpkins and pumpkin-flavored goodies as soon as they come out in stores (practically during the spring!) hoping it will somehow force away the last weeks of summer heat and welcome in the cool breezes, crisp evenings and colorful leaves of autumn. Unfortunately my efforts haven’t worked thus far, but now the official start of fall is here and needless to say, I am celebrating!
For my first official fall meal, I wanted something warm and comforting and filled with the flavors of the season. So, when I looked in my fridge and saw apples, sausage, shallots and gorgonzola, naturally I thought of a hearty, sweet and salty flatbread. I frequently make flatbread pizzas because they’re the perfect dish to make when I want to get rid of odds and ends lurking in my refrigerator and they always come out delicious. And, as everybody knows, bread and cheese are the perfect vehicle for just about everything imaginable.
I encourage you to get creative in the kitchen this fall with a flatbread and let us know what delicious combinations you create!
Sausage and Apple Flatbread Pizza with Caramelized Shallots and Gorgonzola
Ingredients
½ pound of bulk or link sausage of your choice (I used Nugget Market’s Country Apple)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 medium shallots, sliced
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from stem, divided
3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 ball fresh, refrigerated pizza dough (wheat or white)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
½ apple, variety of your choice, sliced (I used Fuji)
½ cup crumbled gorgonzola
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
Cook sausage until browned. Crumble or slice, depending on the sausage you’re using. Drain any fat and set aside.
In the same pan, 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed and over medium heat, sauté shallots with 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, seasoned with salt and pepper until caramelized and soft. Set aside.
In a small sauté pan, add remaining olive oil and chopped garlic over low heat and gently sauté, infusing oil with garlic flavor. Sauté until garlic is fragrant, but not browned- about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Stretch pizza dough to desired size and place on well-oiled, rimmed baking sheet or pizza stone. Brush dough with garlic oil, then top with mozzarella, caramelized shallots, sausage, sliced apples and finally, gorgonzola. Sprinkle 2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves over pizza and dust pizza with a few turns of freshly ground black pepper.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven, checking pizza at 12 minutes.
Let cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
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