Ingredients
16ozpizza doughhomemade or store bought
1garlic head
2tbspolive oildivided
¼tspblack pepperfreshly ground
2pinchessalt
1½barlett pearssliced thin
6ozmozzarella cheeselow-moisture, diced into ½-inch cubes
3ozgoat cheesecrumbled
5ozItalian sausagegood quality, cooked and crumbled as cooking
Yellow corn mealfor dusting
¼cup fresh basil leaveschopped into thin ribbons
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove loose papery outer layers from garlic (the cloves still remain intact), and cut about ¼-inch from top to expose garlic cloves.
Set garlic over a piece of aluminum foil (large enough to well wrap around garlic), drizzle 1½ tsp olive oil evenly over top of garlic, then wrap with foil to enclose.
Bake in preheated oven until nearly roasted through (not quite fully because it will continue to roast on pizza), about 28 to 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool, then remove cloves from skins. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F and place a pizza stone in the center of the oven.
On a large sheet of parchment paper lightly dusted with cornmeal (or flour), shape and stretch pizza dough to 12 ½ inches.
Brush the top of dough evenly with 1½ tablespoon olive oil, then sprinkle the top evenly with pepper and salt.
Layer pears, mozzarella, goat cheese, cooked Italian sausage, and garlic cloves over pizza.
Using a pizza peel, transfer the pizza on parchment to the hot pizza stone in the oven and bake 11 to 14 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is melted.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil ribbons. Slice and serve warm.
