Mediterranean-style sausage pizza

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Grease or oil a 14-inch (35-cm) pizza pan or 10x15-inch (25x38-cm) baking pan. Using oiled fingers, pat dough to thinly coat pan. Form a thick rim around the edge. Let dough rise about 20 minutes, uncovered, while continuing with recipe. Or place pizza shell on pan large enough to hold it and preheat oven according to package directions.

• Remove sausage from its casing and crumble into a frying pan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring often and breaking up as necessary, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Or to cook in microwave, crumble onto a glass pie plate. Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap, venting one end. Microwave on high power, stirring once and breaking up as necessary, until cooked as you like, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Meanwhile, seed and coarsely chop tomatoes.

• Remove stems from fresh spinach. Wash well to remove any clinging sand. Spin or pat dry with paper towels. Coarsely chop. Heat oil and garlic in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot and fragrant, add fresh spinach all at once. Cook, stirring often until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Turn into a colander or strainer set over the sink. With the back of a large spoon, press out any remaining liquid. Or if using frozen spinach, defrost. Then, squeeze in your hands and discard liquid. Heat oil and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in spinach.

• Evenly spread dough or shell with spinach. Also scatter evenly with cooked sausage and tomatoes. Then, sprinkle with cheeses right to the edges of the dough. Bake fresh dough pizza on bottom rack of preheated oven until golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Or bake pizza shell according to package directions. Remove from oven and cut into 8 wedges using a pizza cutter or kitchen shears.