Lisa Pizza

Lisa Pizza: Blood Sausage Pizza

This Lisa pizza takes a cue from the butcher shops of Northern Europe and puts rich, crumbled blood sausage on top of a classic tomato-and-mozzarella pizza base. If the thought raises eyebrows, one bite changes minds. Blood sausage (also called black pudding) is iron-rich, deeply savory, and faintly spiced, which makes it a surprisingly natural partner for the bright acidity of pizza sauce and the mellow creaminess of melted cheese.

Crumbling the blood sausage rather than slicing it is the key move. Crumbled sausage crisps up all over, giving you little nuggets of savory richness in every bite. Slices can stay rubbery on top of pizza. Remove any thick casing before crumbling.

Starting with a pre-made pizza shell keeps this one easy. It’s the kind of dinner you pull together when friends drop by unexpectedly and you want to serve something memorable without rolling out dough.

A baking stone preheated to pizza-crust temperature is worth the counter space. That intense bottom heat is what turns a good homemade pizza into a great one, with the bottom browning evenly while the toppings melt.

Chef Tips

• Pre-cook or lightly brown the blood sausage in a dry pan before scattering on the pizza; cold sausage will finish raw in the short pizza bake time.
• Use a mix of mozzarella and sharp cheddar or smoked gouda; pure mozzarella under blood sausage reads a little mild.
• Keep the tomato sauce layer thin; a heavy sauce fights the sausage instead of complementing it.
• Add a pinch of thyme or a handful of sliced red onion for extra European savor.

Variations

• Top with slices of caramelized apple and a drizzle of honey for a sweet-savory Irish-style twist.
• Swap blood sausage for chorizo or Italian sausage if the traditional version feels too adventurous.
• Finish the baked pizza with fresh arugula and a crack of black pepper for a bitter, peppery counterpoint.