Sausage & Gravy Pizza aka Ugly Breakfast Pizza

For some reason I keep meaning to post this recipe for breakfast pizza but then decide no, It's my favorite and my creation.  I've never shared the recipe because I like being begged to make it for my family and friends.  This pizza is so so easy to make though and not hard to guess how it is made so I'm gonna guess that my friends and family are just lazy with a capital 'L'.  Really, it's that simple to make.

I based it on the breakfast pizza my elementary school cafeteria served. When you really want to channel the school cafeteria vibe shape the pizza into a rectangular pizza.  Actually if you do this the easy way and use Pillsbury pizza dough your going to end up with a rectangle anyways!

The pizza just has so many goof memories attached to it.  It of course reminds me of the 2nd,3rd and 4th grades when I attended this particular elementary school that served this pizza.  Sadly the original school was demolished to make way for some condominiums.  The school was rebuilt out of the flood plain and is beautiful.  The old buildings were awful!  Steam leaks and rood leaks and if I remember correctly no central air.  If it got really really hot towards the end and beginnings of the school year we sometimes got sent home a little early!

Later on in collage my family moved back to the area and I would volunteer in the library because the librarian only came a couple times a week.  I'd straighten up piles of books in their very tiny classroom that was converted to a library because the original library sprung a roof leak.  It's amazing how tiny everything seemed!  (Or maybe I got huge?, lol!)

This pizza reminds me of working at the Dome.  It was my first 'real' job right out of collage. Although technically I was a temp employee I was never treated that way and was able to work at the dome for about 3 years.  Sadly they had to lay me off when the recession hit as they were a rail car refurbishment outfit that sorta relied on people buying automobiles to keep them busy.  I did data entry so no crawling in train cars for me!  My bosses the Inspectors were the ones who had to do that ickyness.

I was so scared of all these stinky uncouth men but their bark was worse than their bite and I grew to like them like favorite uncles.  They got a little raunchy sometimes and loved to play pranks and eat anything I brought in.  Cakes, pies, this pizza.  Especially this pizza!

You wanna know why everyone loves this pizza?  Well, I'll let you in on a little secret.  It's basically biscuits and gravy covered in cheese and semi-portable.  Pretty sure I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't like biscuits and gravy.  You should also know that this pizza isn't very pretty looking.  In fact I used to call it Ugly Breakfast Pizza! 

I haven't buying any pre-made doughs since I found a pretty awesome recipe for dough on Budget Bytes some time ago.  I decided to try it out and haven't quite decided if I like it better than the stuff in the refrigerated bread dough aisle at the grocery store.  The awesome thing about using that Pillsbury stuff is that it is thick and it has the consistency and flavor is reminiscent of biscuit dough which is kind of what your going for with this dish.

Gather up your leftover sausage gravy, pizza dough of your choice (homemade is awesome but so is the Doughboy's) and shredded mozzarella cheese.  I should also let you know that I rarely make country gravy from scratch anymore.  I can but I think it's a pain the butt.  I just cook up some sausage and then make a packet of country gravy and combine.  If your using gravy that has been in the fridge for a day or two you may want to reheat slightly and/or this it down a little just to where it is easily spreadable.  You still want it thick but you also don't want to make a hole in your dough.  Another good idea if you are making gravy just for this recipe is to not combine the sausage and the gravy!  Spread the dough with the gravy like it was a pizza sauce and then top with some crumbled sausage=)

Spread out dough in pan per your dough directions.  In my case I am using homemade and had to use some Pam and cornmeal before adding my dough.  Dock your dough with a fork to try to prevent any large air bubbles from forming while dough bakes.

Spread on your sausage gravy like pizza sauce.  If your making it in a rectangular baking pan you don't have to leave any crust if you don't want to.  I think it's a little easier to handle with some blank crust if your making it a circle.

Add cheese.  I use about two cups.  I love cheese.  If you want use more or less.  Make sure to get the edges good.

Bake pizza per your dough's directions.  I bake mine at 425F for 12 minutes or until bubbly and turning brown.  Usually that's 12 minutes exactly in my oven!

Get a plate and eat up!  This pizza is so awesome the next day.  It reheats very well in the microwave.  Unfortunately since I now have a husband and a male roommate I never have leftovers.  *sad panda*

Sausage and Gravy Pizza

1 pkg. country gravy mix
1 pkg. mild or spicy sausage, cooked, crumbled, and drained
1 pkg. Pillsbury pizza dough or dough of your choice
 2 cups mozzarella cheese

Prepare country gravy as directed on package.  Add crumbled sausage.  Let cool slightly.

Prepare dough as directed on package or according to your recipe.  Spread raw dough in pan and dock dough with a fork to prevent air bubbles from forming as it bakes.

Cover raw dough with gravy mixture and then top with cheese.

Bake pizza according directions on dough or per your pizza dough recipe.  Cook pizza until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown.