Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Apply a thin coating of nonstick cooking spray to a pizza pan or baking sheet .

2. Place your pizza dough onto the greased pan. Use homemade raw dough, store-bought raw dough or pre-baked pizza crusts.

3. Slather an even layer of the sauce of your choice onto the crust, leaving 1/2 to 1 inch of bare crust around the edges of the dough. Use tomato sauce, pesto, white sauce or whatever sauce you prefer.

4. Scatter a layer of cheese on top of the sauce. This can be any type of cheese you prefer, though traditional pizza cheeses include Asiago, fontina, mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone and Romano, often in combination.

5. Sprinkle Italian seasoning on top of the cheese. This generally includes basil, marjoram, oregano, Italian parsley, rosemary, thyme and sage though dried onion and garlic are also often added.

6. Slice the linguica into very thin rounds with a sharp chef’s knife. The more consistent you can get the thickness of the slices, the more evenly they will heat through. Place the linguica on top of the seasoned cheese. Brown the linguica slices in a bit of olive oil before putting them on the pizza if you prefer a slightly crisper texture.

7. Add toppings such as sautéed mushrooms, sliced onions and peppers, sliced olives or whatever you prefer.

8. Bake the pizza for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges of the crust are a deep golden brown.