Merguez Sausage, Whipped Apricot Feta and Pickled Onion Pizza

Sweet, spicy and packed with big flavors, this pizza from Ooni Ambassador Jonathon Schuhrke (@santabarbarabaker) combines merguez, the fragrant North African lamb sausage, with creamy whipped feta cheese spiked with apricot preserves. Homemade quick-pickled red onions, toasted pine nuts and fresh mint combine to deliver a pizza that hits all the senses.

When you’re looking for an alternative to pork sausage, merguez might just become your new favorite protein. Made of beef or lamb (or a mixture of the two) these sausages include flavoring from harissa, a spicy chili sauce from Tunisia, for a welcome kick–though the level of spiciness varies from region to region and chef to chef. 

Of course, making your own sausages from scratch can be a little intimidating–luckily, here you don’t have to. Merguez sausage can be found pre-made in most specialty grocery stores or online. Added to the top of a pizza, the savory-spicy lamb meets creamy-sweet apricot feta, balanced with vinegary pickled red onions and fresh mint. 


Difficulty

Servings

One 14-inch pizza

Prep Time

60 minutes total

(excluding dough and pickled onion preparation)
Cook Time

4 to 6 minutes

By Jonathon Schuhrke

apricot, feta, merguez sausage, and pickled onion pizza on a bamboo peel

Note

To get the most taste out of your pickled onions, make them at least 24 hours in advance.

1. To make the pickled red onions, add water, white vinegar, salt and sugar to a medium-size heavy duty sauce pot; stir to dissolve.

2. Place the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorn and bay leaf in the middle of a small piece of cheesecloth and tie into a secure package; place in the pot and bring just to a boil, then remove from heat.

3. Pour the pickling liquid over the sliced red onions, making sure they’re all covered.

Let cool, cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before using.

Tip: Pickled red onions may be made up to a week in advance. Always store quick pickled vegetables in the refrigerator.

4. To make the whipped apricot feta, add feta cheese and apricot preserves to the bowl of a food processor; combine until smooth.

Merguez Sausage Pizza, Whipped Apricot Feta, Pickled Onion blend

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.

Tip: Mixture may be made up to 5 days in advance.

6. To make the pizza, fire up your oven, aiming for 800°F to 850°F (425°C to 450°C) on the center of the baking stone.

Use an infrared thermometer to quickly and accurately take the temperature of the stone.

7. Just before placing a dough ball on your lightly-floured work surface, turn your oven to the lowest temperature setting.

Push the air from the center out to the edge with your fingers. Stretch the dough out to form a 14-inch base, being careful not to stretch too thin, then lay the stretched dough over your lightly-floured pizza peel.

8. Top with a ½ tablespoon scoop of the whipped feta with apricots, spaced about one inch apart leaving room for the crust.

9. Place the cubed fresh mozzarella in between the feta mixture and break the merguez sausage into small chunks while topping the pizza; finish with pickled red onions.

Merguez Sausage Pizza, Whipped Apricot Feta, Pickled Onion topping

10. Slide the pizza off the peel and into the oven.

Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, turning the pizza and checking the bottom every 20 seconds to ensure an even bake. Adjust the flame as needed to ensure a properly crisp bottom and browned crust.

11. Just before the end of the bake, take your pizza out of the oven and top with the toasted pine nuts.

Return the pizza to the oven, give it a few final turns, cooking for about 1 minute.

12. Remove the pizza from the oven and let rest briefly on a wire rack, about 1 minute.

Top with chopped fresh mint, slice and serve immediately.

Jonathon Schuhrke

Jonathon Schuhrke, aka the Santa Barbara Baker, lives a self-described pizza-passionate lifestyle. He creates all his pizzas at home with a dedication to the craft and enjoys helping others on their own pizza-making journeys.

For the pickled red onions:

  • 1 cup (227 grams) water
  • 1 cup (230 grams) white vinegar
  • 2 ½ teaspoons (15 grams) salt
  • 2 teaspoons (10 grams) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon (6 grams) whole cumin seed
  • 1 teaspoon (6 grams) whole coriander seed
  • 1 teaspoon (6 grams) whole black peppercorn
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • 2 red onions, sliced

For the whipped apricot feta:

  • 1 cup (114 grams) feta cheese
  • 4 tablespoons (57 grams) apricot preserves
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste

For the pizza:

  • 350-gram pizza dough ball
  • Mix of finely ground semolina and flour, for shaping
  • 2 ¾ ounces (75 grams) fresh mozzarella, cubed
  • 4 ounces (100 grams) fresh merguez sausage, removed from casing
  • 2 tablespoons (19 grams) pine nuts, lightly toasted.
  • 1 tablespoon (2 grams) fresh mint, chopped