Pistachio pesto pizza, featuring homemade pistachio pesto with crumbled sausage, creamy burrata, and fresh basil.
Today I’m channeling my city girl side with this pizza from one of my favorite Chicago restaurants: Forno Rosso! This West Loop establishment was introduced to me by my sister and her husband, and it is some of the best pizza pie I’ve had. Their menu is a combination of classic flavor combinations and some unique twists, such as their pistachio pizza, which was my favorite of the meal!
Related: Shredded Chicken and Garlic Butter Pizza
This pizza is such a tasty combo that I just couldn’t leave it in the Windy City: I had to bring it back home to Michigan. Today I’m sharing my recreation of this Forno Rosso specialty. I topped store-bought pizza dough (but definitely make your own if you’re up for it!) with homemade pistachio pesto, pork sausage, fresh burrata, and basil just plucked from the plant outside. This is a recipe you’ll want to make over and over again!
Related: Prosciutto and Burrata Pizza with Poached Eggs and Arugula
Can we just talk about this pesto for a second? Pistachio pesto. If you haven’t had the pleasure yet, make this immediately. The pesto keeps great in the freezer, so make an extra batch and freeze it for later! (I.e. don’t let any of those expensive little pistachios go to waste!) It’s full of salty pistachio nuts and fresh basil, with the usual parmesan cheese. The pesto is brightened up with the addition of lemon. Mmm!
Related: Goat Cheese, Shallots, and Roasted Beet Pizza
With this recreation recipe, I’ll be able to enjoy a little slice of Forno Rosso here at home in the Mitten whenever I want. But hey sis: feel free to invite us back anytime for some tasty pizzas!
- 2 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup packed basil
- 1 cup shelled and dry-roasted pistachio nuts
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 8 ounces pork sausage
- 1 package store-bought pizza dough
- All-purpose flour
- Cornmeal
- 8 ounces fresh burrata, sliced
- 8-10 fresh basil leaves
- Pizza peel
- Pizza stone
- In a food processor, combine garlic, basil, pistachio nuts, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pulse until evenly combined. With food processor running, stream in olive oil and allow to run until pesto is nice and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add pork. Use the back of a wooden spoon to help break up the sausage into smaller, bite-sized crumbles. Cook until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes.
- Roll out pizza dough on a well-floured surface. I usually cut the ball of store-bought dough into two pieces so I can roll very thin pizzas. If you do this also, be sure to split your ingredients evenly between the two pizzas. (If you only use the one pizza dough ball, the recipe will serve 2 people, not 4. Alternatively you can purchase two pizza dough balls.)
- Spread a thin layer of cornmeal on a pizza peel and transfer rolled out dough to the coated pizza peel. Spread a couple of large spoonfuls of pesto on top. Top with cooked sausage crumbles and fresh burrata. Once oven is heated, transfer pizza to a pizza stone coated lightly with cornmeal. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove pizza from oven and top with basil leaves. Cut and serve.