Super Bowl, CSA Style

Two things about this Super Bowl: First, it's just me this year, so I'm going light on the food. Second, does anyone care about this matchup, really? My friends at work do a pool that I have benefitted quite nicely from for the last 3 years. So, there is my reason for watching: to see if I win anything again.

 That said, you do kind of have to make something to enjoy during the game. This year, I had everything I needed to make spaghetti sauce with Italian sausage. And since I did that and had a pizza crust in my freezer (from the CSA, of course), I decided on sausage mushroom pizza. Here, I must add a shootout to Clark Pope. If you'll remember, we got Berkshire ribs in the last share and I prepared them in the oven using BBQ sauce from Clark Pope. Today, I used another of his products, roasted cherry tomatoes in fig oil. I have used these before, in an eggplant and roasted pepper (also a Clark Pope product) sauce. I cannot express just how much I like these products. It makes me happy that I will continue with the summer CSA, so I can, hopefully, enjoy more of these wonderful products!

Crockpot Italian Sausage Sauce

• 2 jars Roasted cherry tomatoes in fig oil*
• 1 (28-oz) can whole plum tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion,* diced 
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb Italian sausage

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add onions and saute until onions are translucent.Transfer to Crockpot. Add remaining ingredients and cook, covered, 6-8 hours on Low.

Superbowl Sausage Mushroom Pizza

• 1 ball seasoned pizza dough*
• 1/4 cup sauce (see above)
• 1 Italian sausage link* sliced
• 1 (4-oz) can sliced Mushrooms
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella*

Preheat oven to 450°F. Stretch dough to a 12-inch circle.Spoon sauce into center of dough and spread, leaving a 1/4-inch margin. Distribute sausage and mushrooms evenly over pizza. Sprinkle with mozzarella.Ideally, bake directly on a pizza stone for a crisp crust. Alternatively, bake on a prepared pizza sheet. Crust will be softer. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

* CSA ingredients

Ramps and berries

If you have never tried ramps, you are in for a treat.  Ramps are wild leeks with an onion/garlic/leek flavor.  I was a little concerned at first because I am not terribly fond of either onions or leeks, however, there is a sweetness in ramps that you don't find in any of the three.  Since we had gotten frozen pizza dough and fresh mozzarella in the last CSA package, I thought I would try the ramps on pizza.

White Ramp and Garlic Pizza

• Frozen pizza crust, thawed*
• Olive Oil
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, shredded*
• 6 roasted garlic cloves, sliced
• 6 ramps*
• 1/4 cup parmesan-reggiano, grated

Wash ramps, cut off root ends and remove outer coating.  Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan.  Add ramps and blanch for 2 minutes.  Remove ramps from water and drain well.  Cut into 1-inch pieces; set aside.

Sprinkle pizza pan with cornmeal.  Stretch pizza dough to fit pan.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle garlic slices over pizza.

Sprinkle with fresh mozzarella, then ramps and finally parmesan-reggiano.

Bake at 475 for 8-10 minutes until crust is browned.

Makes 6 slices.

VARIATION:

Ramp, Feta, tomato, garlic white pizza

Same as above, but add wedged tomatoes and sprinkle with Feta instead of parmesan-reggiano.

Also makes 6 slices.

Bonus Recipe:

Berry Custard Pie

Adapted from Allrecipes.com recipe:

• 1 cup baking mix
• 1 1/2 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups raspberries
• 1 cup blackberries
• 3 Tbsp white wheat flour*
• 1/2 cup fresh plain yogurt*
• 2 egg whites*
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, mix together baking mix, 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar and milk.  Press into prepared pie plate with flour coated fingers. Sprinkle berries onto crust.

In another bowl, combine flour, yogurt, egg whites, sugar, nutmeg and vanilla.  Pour over berries. Cover edges of crust with foil.

Bake at 450F for 10 minutes.  Turn heat down to 350F and bake for 30 minutes or until center is set.

Makes 8 servings

*CSA ingredients