I recently made a batch of Pizza Dough from The Pizza Bible.  This is enough for 4 servings.  I used one half on Friday night for a Pissaladiere, substituting sardines for my usual anchovies.  It turned out very well.  I was looking around for something to do with the other half and spotted a recipe for an Italian sausage roll in The Pizza Bible, and decided to make that with a salad for Saturday dinner.  The dough very easily survived another day in the refrigerator, and the sausage roll was excellent.  This is enough for 2 dinner servings.

½ batch  Pizza Dough from The Pizza Bible

7 oz. Italian sausage

Olive oil for brushing

Garlic powder

Grated Parmesan

Dried oregano

Red pepper flakes

Warmed pizza or pasta sauce for dipping

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Put the raw Italian sausage on a sheet of plastic wrap and cover it with a second sheet.  Using a rolling pin, roll it into a rectangle about 7 inches by 14 inches, and only about 1/8 inch thick.  Store the rolled sausage in the refrigerator until ready for use.

Allow the dough to come to room temperature on the kitchen counter.  On a lightly floured surface, roll it into a rectangle about 8 inches by 16 inches.  Use a heavy wooden ruler to help the dough to be a rectangle rather than an oval.  Check that the dough is a ½ inch bigger on each side than the block of Italian sausage.  Dock the dough all over with a fork.  Remove one of the sheets of plastic wrap from the sausage and invert the block over the dough.  Peel off the other sheet.  Roll the dough tightly from the long end.  Tuck under the two ends and put the roll seam side down.  Brush the dough with olive oil to help it not shatter when cut into slices after baking.

Bake for 7 minutes and then reposition the roll to help it cook evenly, and bake for another 7 minutes.  Put the cooked roll on a cutting board and allow it to rest for 2-3 minutes.  Add some garlic powder to some olive oil and brush it on the baked roll.  Sprinkle with Parmesan, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes.  Cut the roll into slices on a modest diagonal, like cutting a baguette.  Serve with a warmed dipping sauce.