Recipe: Sausage Focaccia (using Italian sausage and refrigerated pizza dough)

SAUSAGE FOCACCIA

1/2 pound fresh hot Italian sausage
Olive oil cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) tube refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
FOR THE TOPPING:
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh red pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray an 11x7-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Squeeze sausage from the casings into a heavy skillet. Over medium heat, saute sausage, breaking sausage into small pieces. Cook until sausage is no longer pink.

Remove sausage pieces from pan with a slotted spoon and drain well on clean paper towels. Blot dry with additional paper towels.

Unroll dough and position in the prepared baking dish with half of the dough falling to the side. Gently press dough into corners and to cover the dish bottom. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon rosemary.

Crumble cooked sausage and sprinkle 1 cup sausage over the dough.

Fold dough over sausage filling, covering completely. Seal edges.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup sausage and 2 tablespoons peppers atop dough.

Combine garlic powder, herbs and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over dough.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Serve hot.

Servings: 4
Source: National Hot Dog and Sausage Council