Matt Scialabba and
Melissa Pellegrino
Matt Scialabba and Melissa Pellegrino
are a husband-and-wife cooking and
writing team who met while studying
in Italy, where they learned the secrets
of authentic regional cuisine. They are
authors of The Southern Italian Farmer’s
Table (Lyons Press, 2012; www.theitalian
farmerstable.com) and chef/owners of
Bufalina in Guilford, Connecticut, which
specializes in wood-;red pizza.
Mixed Mushroom Pizza
with Sausage and Fontina
Premio
Recipes developed by Matt Scialabba and Melissa Pellegrino
1 pound pizza dough,
at room temperature
Unbleached all-purpose ;our
8 ounces mixed mushrooms
(such as crimini, shiitake and
hen of the woods), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ;nely chopped
fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
2 links (about ½ pound) Premio hot
Italian sausage, casings removed
and cut into small pieces
At least 30 minutes before baking, position a rack in the bottom third of the oven;
if using a pizza stone, set it on the rack. (If you don’t have a stone, use a heavy-duty 18-by-13-inch baking sheet lightly coated with olive oil.) Heat the oven to
500°F. If using a pizza stone, dust a pizza peel with ;our.
On a lightly ;oured surface, stretch the dough into a rough circle about 12 inches
in diameter and ;⁄; inch thick. Transfer the stretched dough to the prepared
pizza peel or baking sheet.
In a large bowl, toss together mushrooms, rosemary, a pinch of salt and a few
grinds of fresh pepper. Add oil and toss well to coat the mushrooms. Spread the
mushroom mixture over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle cheese
evenly over the dough and then evenly disperse the sausage.
If using a baking sheet, put it on the oven rack. If using a pizza stone, slide the
pizza o; the peel and onto the heated stone. Bake until the crust is nicely browned
and crisp and the cheese is bubbly, about 12-15 minutes on a pizza stone or
15-20 minutes on a baking sheet. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let
stand for 1-2 minutes before cutting. Makes 4 appetizer or 2 entrée servings.
Braised Chicken Legs
with Sausage, Beans and
Cipolline Onions
Premio
4 chicken legs (about 2½ pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,
divided
1 pound Premio mild Italian
sausages, cut into 2-inch pieces
¾ pound small cipolline onions,
peeled
Lightly season chicken legs all over with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat.
Add sausage and cook until browned all over, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the chicken and cook until deep golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip the chicken
over and continue cooking until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the plate
with the sausage.
Pour o; all but a thin layer of fat from the pan and add the remaining tablespoon
of oil. Add onions, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt and cook until fragrant,
3-4 minutes. Add wine to the pan, scrape up any browned bits with a wooden
spoon and cook until reduced by half. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Return the chicken legs and sausage to the pan, along with the rosemary. Cover
the pan, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 25 minutes.
Add beans and continue cooking, covered, until the chicken is fork tender,
20-25 minutes more. Makes 4 servings.
1 carrot, peeled and ;nely chopped
1 celery stalk, ;nely chopped
½ cup dry white wine
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 rosemary sprig
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans,
drained and rinsed
