Pizza rustica is in a sense a misnomer since this dish is anything but rustic. It requires careful attention to detail if you want it to be as pleasing to the eye as it is to palate.
Plan on eight servings for an antipasto or six servings as the main course at a luncheon. With a dry, well- chilled white wine and a tossed green salad this dish could be a complete meal.

• 1 recipe pie crust dough (The recipe for crust dough can be found on the Sausage and Cheese Roll blog post)
• ¼ pound sweet Italian – style sausage, removed from the casing.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup (total chopped red and green sweet peppers.
• ¼ cup pepperoni, diced
• ¼ cup hard salami, diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped ripe black pitted olives.
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup spaghetti sauce
• Sauce and fresh ground black pepper.

1. Prepare the pie crust dough and divide it in half. Roll out one piece and place it in a deep dish nine – inch pie plate. Roll out the other half and reserve it for the top crust.
2. Crumble the sausage in a skillet, add the olive oil, and sauté it until the meat loses its pink color, about five or ten minutes.
3. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
4. In the oil and sausage drippings sauté the onion, garlic and chopped peppers until they are crisp – tender. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Discard the grease.
5. In a bowl mix together the sausage, pepperoni, salami, onions, peppers, and chopped olives. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Spread a thin layer of mozzarella on the bottom crust. Add about a third of the meat mixture and spread it evenly over the cheese. Dot with about a third of the spaghetti sauce and then sprinkle on a third of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layering process, ending with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
7. Place the top crust over the filling and press with a fork to seal the edges.
8. Brush the top with cold water and bake in a preheated 350F.oven for thirty-five minutes or until the top is golden.

Serve 6-8.

Posted in pastry-recipes

Ingredients you will need

• 1 pound sweet Italian – style sausage, removed from casing and crumbled
• 1 recipe pizza or pie dough
• Olive oil
• 8 ounces mozzarella or Swiss cheese, grated

How to make the Cheese And Sausage Roll

1. Crumble the sausage in a skillet and sauté over medium heat until lightly browned, about ten minutes. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about twelve by eighteen inches and about a quarter of an inch thick.
3. Brush the dough with olive oil leaving a one – inch border all around.
4. Spread the sausage on the dough and top with the grated cheese.
5. Roll up the dough, jelly roll fashion, being careful to tuck in the ends and seal the edges.
6. Place the roll carefully on a greased cookie sheet, seam down, and bake in a pre-heated 375F.oven for thirty to forty-five minutes or until the crust is crispy and golden.
7. Cool about twenty minutes and slice into half-inch thick serving pieces.

This recipe will serve a total of eight to 10 people.

Optional Pie Crust Dough:

What you need:

• 2cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 4-6 tablespoons ice water

Steps to make the Pie Crust Dough

1. Sift the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl
2. Blend in the shortening, piece by piece, with a pastry blender.
3. Sprinkle the ice water on, one tablespoon at the time, mixing it well into the dough. Use only enough water to form the dough into a ball that holds together.

Posted in pastry-recipes