Meat Lovers’ Sheet Pan Pizza

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Italian sausage
• 2 pounds room temperature pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce, homemade or store-bought
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, grated
• 4 ounces ham
• 4 ounces pepperoni slices
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• Dried parsley, garnish
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Start with the sausage, since that is the topping that needs cooking. Set a medium skillet over medium heat, add the sausage, and cook until no longer raw, about 8 minutes, breaking it into pieces as it browns.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a rectangle that is roughly the size of your quarter-sheet pan. Move the dough into the pan, then press it securely up the edges so you create a raised border.
4. No need to fret over the dough here. It can handle a little fussing, and if it rips, just pinch it back together right in the pan and carry on.
5. Aim for a fairly even layer of dough across the bottom of the sheet pan, though it does not need to look bakery-perfect. A little unevenness is part of the charm of homemade pizza.
6. Spread the sauce over the dough in a thin coating once it is in the pan. Use a little more if you prefer extra sauce, but a light layer works well here.
7. Scatter the cheese over the sauce, then add the remaining toppings. Sprinkle generously with dried parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outer crust has risen and turned a deep golden-tan. The middle should be hot and bubbling, with some browned patches on the cheese.
9. Let the pizza rest briefly before you cut it. Slice it into roughly square pieces. Leftovers will keep for about a week, and they reheat best in a covered skillet set over low heat for a few minutes.