Greek Sausage Pita Pizzas
Recipe for the week of May 6-10, 2024 Please Note: Ingredients and recipes are subject to change due to product availability and teacher’s discretion.
Servings Prep Time
Yield4 servings 25minutes
Cook Time
25minutes
Servings Prep Time
Yield4 servings 25minutes
Cook Time
25minutes
Ingredients
For the Pizzas
  • 1 package Italian sausage linkscasings removed, 19 ounces
  • 2 garlic clovesminced
  • 2 roma tomatoesseeded and chopped
  • 1/2cup crumbled feta cheesefor garnish
  • 1 Cucumbersliced
  • 1/2cup tzatziki sauce
For the Pita Bread
  • 3cups all purpose flourdivided
  • 2/3cup warm wateradd as needed
  • 2teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons Salt
  • ½teaspoon sugar
  • 2tablespoons olive oil
MASTERS CLASSES ONLY: Feta Cheese Dip (Tirokafteri)
  • 3.5ounces feta cheese
  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 2tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/3cup milk
  • 2tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/3cup milk
Instructions
To Make the Pita
  1. In a large mixing bowl add lukewarm water and stir in yeast and sugar until dissolved. Add ½ cup flour and whisk together. Place the mixing bowl in a warm place, uncovered to form a lose sponge. Give it 15 minutes or so, the mixture should bubble.
Form the pita dough
  1. Now add salt, olive oil and almost all the remaining flour (keep about ½ cup of the flour for dusting later). Stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass. Dust with a little flour, then knead the mixture inside the bowl for about a minute to incorporate any stray bits.
Knead the Dough
  1. Dust a clean working surface with just a little bit of flour. Knead lightly for a couple minutes or so until smooth. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead again for a couple more minutes. The dough should be a little bit moist; you can help it with a little dusting of flour but be careful not to add too much flour.
Let the Dough Rise
  1. Clean the mixing bowl and coat it lightly with olive oil and put the dough back in the bowl. Turn the dough a couple times in the bowl to coat with the olive oil. Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap then lay a kitchen towel over. Put the bowl in a warm place. Leave it alone for 1 hour or until the dough rises to double its size.
  2. Deflate the dough and place it on a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 7 to 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover with a towel and leave them for 10 minutes or so to rest.
Shape the Pitas
  1. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a circle that’s 8-9 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick. It helps to lift and turn the dough frequently as you roll so that dough doesn’t stick to your counter too much. (If dough starts to stick, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour). If the dough starts to spring back, set it aside to rest for a few minutes, then continue rolling. Repeat with the other pieces of dough. (Once you get going, you can cook one pita while rolling another if you like). You have two options for baking the pita from here.
To Cook on the Stovetop
  1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil and wipe off any excess. Working with one pita at a time, lay a rolled-out pita on the skillet and fry for 30 seconds, until bubbles start to form. Using a spatula, flip the pita over and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side, until large, toasted spots appear on the underside. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes to toast the other side. The pita is ready when it puffs up forming a pocket (sometimes, with this method, the pita may not puff or may only form a small pocket. Try pressing the surface of the pita gently with a clean towel). Keep baked pita covered with a clean towel while you work on the rest.
To Make the Sausage
  1. Preheat an oiled skillet to medium heat. Cook sausage and garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking sausage into large crumbles; drain.
  2. Top pita breads with sausage mixture, tomatoes, and feta cheese. Top with cucumbers; drizzle with tzatziki sauce.
MASTERS CLASSES ONLY
  1. Cut the feta cheese into cubes and place in a bowl and begin mixing in a blender or stand mixer (food processor). Gradually add the vinegar and olive oil, whilst mixing at medium speed.
  2. Pour in the milk until the feta cheese dip has a silky smooth, creamy consistency. Pour in a little at a time and mix until the cheese dip is smooth.