Italian Salami, Apple and Blue Cheese Pizza - a Gourmet Recipe (2024)

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If you love gourmet pizza but are trying to trim your budget, try this easy homemade pizza recipe. If don’t love blue cheese, use goat cheese – it’s just as delicious! The garlic oil sauce and fruity apples are the perfect match for salty meat and creamy blue cheese.

Italian Salami, Apple and Blue Cheese Pizza - a Gourmet Recipe (1)

We make pizza at least once a week, and over the years we’ve gone from making pizzas with pretty typical toppings, to making what I think of as gourmet pizzas. Pizzas that make you sigh with satisfaction and wash down every bite with a sip of red wine.

Pizza Toppings for Gourmet Pizza Recipes at Home

Spicy Italian Genoa salami, garlic oil sauces, apples, pears, arugula, carmelized onions, fresh parsley, goat cheese, brie, mushroom tapenade, olives, blue cheese and proscuitto have all made many appearances on our pizza (not all at the same time, obviously haha).

I’ve found that I really like making pasta with a few fantastic ingredients that work beautifully together, with a nice thin crispy crust. YUM.

One of the most common pizza options we make is this spicy Italian Genoa salami, garlic oil sauce, thinly sliced apples, blue cheese (or goat cheese), fresh parsley combo.

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The garlic oil adds a delicious flavour overall, the meat is spicy (but feel free to use non-spicy meat if you want!), the apples add a nice fruity note and the cheese is creamy to counteract the spice. A sprinkle of parsley before eating is fresh and keeps things from getting too heavy.

It is SO good.

Tips to make homemade gourmet pizza budget friendly:

So this being a gourmet pizza and all, you might be thinking that it’s expensive to make.

Nope.

I find pizza a super cheap meal, especially for how delicious and satisfying it is. You really only need a small amount of each ingredient, so even if your ingredients are a little pricey, the end result is still super affordable.

I costed out the ingredients to give you a rough idea of what this pizza cost us. Keep in mind that groceries are pretty expensive where we live.

Italian Salami, Apple and Blue Cheese Pizza - a Gourmet Recipe (3)

Total cost of this pizza: $2.92.

A few of these ingredients need a little explanation:

Apple: I bought a bag of apples for $4 and there were 10 apples in it. So each apple cost $0.40. I actually only needed 1/4 of the apple (not the full half in the picture) so it only cost $0.10.

Mozzarella Cheese: I usually buy big blocks of cheese when they are on sale for $4 and this recipe only used a portion of the block.

Olive oil and garlic I costed out for the recipes I put in our ebook:

Italian Salami, Apple and Blue Cheese Pizza - a Gourmet Recipe (4)

Parsley was FREE because we own a parsley plant, which is a great, inexpensive way to have fresh herbs on hand! BUT if you had to buy a small amount it might cost you $0.10.

—–>>>>> We have a post coming up on how to keep herbs fresh for WEEKS!

Italian Genoa salami we buy big logs and slice it super thinly.

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I weighed the 15 slices I used for this recipe and they were a bit less than 50 grams. The whole 600 gram log cost $8 so 50 grams = $0.67.

You can also freeze salami – so you can stock up when you find a great deal!

I did the same with the blue cheese:

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The whole package cost $12 (you could probably find it cheaper somewhere like Costco but we are very far from there at the moment). I cut each wedge into 25 gram pieces for a total of 14 pieces, and used one piece for this pizza (and honestly, less would have been okay too!).

Dough: Was costed out with our No Yeast Pizza Dough recipe. One whole batch cost me $0.68, but I only used half of a batch for this pizza.

What Toppings to Put on a Gourmet Pizza

If you like the sound of this pizza but don’t have the exact ingredients to make it, think of it as a formula:

Thin crust + garlic olive oil + mozzarella cheese + meat (could be Italian salami, bacon, seasoned chicken, etc) + thin slices of fruit (I’ve used apples, pears and peaches with great success) + creamy cheese (goat cheese, blue cheese or brie) + something green after cooking (parsley, basil, arugula, etc).

I honestly think it would be hard to go wrong with this formula and I can think of (and we’ve tried) countless different combinations of these ingredients.

There are, of course, many other amazing combinations you can try, but this is a great starting point.

Related: Homemade Freezer Pizza

Spicy Italian salami pizza with apples, blue cheese (or goat cheese) – Step-by-Step Instructions

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Ingredients for Italian Salami, Apple and Blue Cheese Pizza

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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine minced garlic and olive oil in a small dish. Set aside.

Italian Salami, Apple and Blue Cheese Pizza - a Gourmet Recipe (10)

Spray pizza pan with cooking spray or coat with olive oil to prevent crust from sticking while cooking.

Using fingers, gently spread dough to edges of the pan. I used HALF of a batch of our No Yeast Pizza Dough .

Tip: If you fuss with the dough too much it will tighten up due to the gluten in flour and become very hard to spread. You’ll have to leave it alone to relax for a few minutes before you try again.

I usually start with the ball in the centre of the oiled pan and use the heels of my hands to make a thick cylinder, then use my fingers to gently push the dough outward toward the centre of the pan, thinning it as I go.

Prep other ingredients (shred mozzarella cheese, thinly slice apple).

Tip: slice apple very thinly, and remove peeling if it is tough

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Tip: Before spreading the oil on dough, gently push it back to edges of the pan if it has relaxed away from them.

Spread garlic oil over dough.

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Top with mozzarella cheese, spicy salami (or regular salami if using, but I highly recommend the Italian Genoa style), thinly sliced apple and dot with blue cheese.

Bake in preheated oven until crust is cooked. For my oven, this took 11 minutes, but times can vary depending on your oven and how thin your crust is.

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Top with minced (fresh, if possible) parsley, and enjoy! 🙂

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Italian Salami, Apple and Blue Cheese Pizza - a Gourmet Recipe (15)

Italian Salami, Apple and Blue Cheese Pizza - a Gourmet Recipe

If you love gourmet pizza but are trying to trim your budget, try this easy homemade pizza recipe. If don't love blue cheese, use goat cheese - it's just as delicious! The garlic oil sauce and fruity apples are the perfect match for salty meat and creamy blue cheese.

4.25 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Canadian, Italian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes minutes

Total Time: 26 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Myra

Ingredients

  • 1/2 batch No Yeast Pizza Dough (or your favourite thin crust dough)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 15 slices spicy Italian cacciatore (salami) thinly sliced
  • 1/4 apple thinly sliced, peel removed if tough
  • 2 tbsp blue cheese or goat cheese
  • 1 tbsp parsley fresh, if possible, chopped
  • cooking spray
  • flour for spreading crust

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

  • Combine olive oil and garlic, set aside.

  • Spray pizza pan with cooking spray or oil with olive oil.

  • Spread dough on pan, using a little flour on any sticky spots and hands.

  • Spread garlic oil over dough. Top with mozzarella cheese, spicy meat, apple slices and spread small pieces of blue cheese (or goat cheese) around.

  • Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. My oven took 11 minutes, but ovens vary in temperature.

  • Remove from pan, sprinkle with chopped parsley and enjoy 🙂

Notes

* Spreading homemade pizza dough can be tricky but with a bit of practice your results can be fantastic. I prefer to spread the dough with my hands because rolling can make it a little dense.
Make sure hands are well floured and use a dusting of flour on top of the dough before gently pressing the ball of dough into a larger cylinder. Use fingers to press dough out toward the edges of the pan.
The gluten in the dough will make it spring back and resist being stretched. If it gets really uncooperative, leave it to rest for a few minutes so that the gluten can relax and then try again.
I like to spread the dough, then prep my ingredients, giving it resting time, and then gently spread any parts that need to be re-stretched before topping.

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @DeliciousOnADime or tag #deliciousonadime!

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Italian Salami, Apple and Blue Cheese Pizza - a Gourmet Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What goes first on pizza salami or cheese? ›

The toppings should NEVER be under the Cheese. The toppings will get soggy and fall off the pizza when you take your first bite if you put it under Cheese. Now if the toppings sink into the cheese and get covered by it during the cooking process that's ok but the raw pizza should have the toppings on top of the cheese.

What is the best salami for pizza? ›

For example, if you want to achieve a spicy pizza, you can't go wrong with calabrese or saprosseta toppings. If you want to achieve a mild and sweet flavor, genoa salami is a great choice. However, if you're not sure, go for pepperoni. You can't go wrong with everyone's favorite salami.

When making a pizza do you put the cheese on first or the meat? ›

Cheese always goes belowthe toppings

You've got your dough as the foundation. Then your sauce. The cheese is the next solid layer. Then your toppings (after all, they're called top-pings and not bottom-ings), and then finally your garnishes like basil, pepper, fresh mozzarella, etc, after the pizza is cooked.

What is the secret to the best pizza? ›

11 Essential Tips for Better Pizza | The Food Lab
  • Pick the Right Style.
  • Remember Your Dough-Making Options.
  • For a Better Crust, Try Cold Fermenting.
  • Buy Dough If You're in a Hurry.
  • Use a Rolling Pin If You Need To.
  • Top Your Pies Wisely.
  • Get Your Oven As Hot As You Can.
  • Use a Baking Steel.

Do Italians put salami on pizza? ›

Traditionally in Italy, you would usually see only see two types of salami used to top a pizza; the Milano and Napoli.

What does salami pizza mean? ›

Salami is the same kind of 'sausage' but spices added are just normally, salt, pepper and sometimes fennel seeds. In Italy is very rare to see salami on pizza while pepperoni pizza is very popular for people that like strong taste.

How to stop pizza toppings falling off? ›

Several options:
  1. Keep pizza as level as possible.
  2. Sandwich two slices (toppings in between). ...
  3. Crease a single slice to form a “V” that can collect loose toppings.
  4. Eat the toppings off the pizza first, or remove/save for afterwards.
Mar 27, 2022

Do Italians put cheese first on pizza? ›

' An authentic Italian pizza is perfection at 5 different levels – the base, the sauce, the cheese, the toppings and last but not the least – the pizza chef.

What kind of salami do Italians eat? ›

Genoa. One of the most common Italian salami varieties, this cured meat originated in the northwestern Italian town of Genoa. It is always made of pork, but sometimes contains beef or veal as well. Its distinctive flavor comes from seasonings such as garlic, salt, both white and black peppercorns, and wine.

Which is the tastiest salami? ›

Felino salami, also known as “the king of salami”, originates from a small town in Italy called… you guessed it, Felino! This salami is known for its smooth consistency and dazzling flavor, rich with peppercorns and wine. This delicate salami is minimally spiced and slow-aged to bring out a sweet flavor.

What is the difference between Genoa salami and Italian salami? ›

Salami Texture and Flavor Variations

The wine and vinegar in Genoa salami, as well as containing more spices than its hard counterpart, gives it a bright, tangy and acidic flavor that isn't as mild as hard salami. Hard salami is smoked after it is cured so it usually has a smooth smokey flavor.

Does cheese go on top or bottom of pizza toppings? ›

It's also a good idea to keep cheese, sauce, and other “melty” ingredients below the uppermost layer of toppings since they might otherwise prevent other ingredients from cooking through completely.

Should you cut pizza immediately or wait? ›

It's best to cut the pizza as soon as it comes out of the oven, so it doesn't toughen up as it cools down. You should let the pizza sit for only a few seconds and then proceed to cut it with a pizza cutter. If you're using a chef's knife, however, you should wait a little bit.

How do you eat pizza with a fork or hand? ›

“According to many of my Italian friends, it's perfectly acceptable to eat a pizza with a knife and fork.” If you are served a whole pizza, Lucy said you need to cut them into a triangle slice before eating.

What is the key to good homemade pizza? ›

12 Best Tips for Homemade Pizza
  1. 1 - Cook your pizza on a preheated surface. ...
  2. 2 - Cook your pizza at a very high temperature. ...
  3. 3 - Cook your pizza on parchment paper. ...
  4. 4 - Think outside the box with your sauces. ...
  5. 5 - Don't overcook your protein. ...
  6. 6 - Get creative with your toppings.
Feb 18, 2019

What tastes surprisingly good on pizza? ›

Plan the perfect pizza night with these extra special pizza toppings.
  • 1Roast pumpkin and chorizo pizzas. ...
  • 2Egg florentine pizzas. ...
  • 3Silverbeet, broccolini and mozzarella pizza. ...
  • 4Cauliflower pizzas with pumpkin and prosciutto. ...
  • 5Tandoori chicken pizza. ...
  • 6Sweet potato, goat's cheese & pine nut pizza. ...
  • 7Middle Eastern lamb pizzas.

What is the name of the Italian pizza with salami? ›

Diavola. The Diavola is a great pizza for anyone who loves strong flavours as the main ingredient here is spicy salami. It is one of the best-known pizzas outside of Italy, especially in the United States and the UK, although you might know it better by another name – the Pepperoni Pizza!

What do Italians call pepperoni? ›

“Peperone” (plural “peperoni”) are bell peppers. “Pepperoni” as a spicy sausage doesn't exist in Italian, it's called “salamino piccante”. What is pepperoni made of in Italy? Peperoni (with one P) is not the same thing as pepperoni in the United States.

Do Italians put lettuce on pizza? ›

You don't generally find uncooked veggies on Italian pizzas -- but the exception is salad greens.

What do Italians call salami? ›

The word salume (the plural is salumi) literally means “salted meat”. Though most Italian salumi are made from pork, you can find salumi made from wild boar, deer and even horse. (We've told you before, Italians love pork – in all its forms!) Actually, there are hundreds of different kinds of salumi in Italy.

What do Italians do with salami? ›

Salame is primarily served as is, with bread and cheese, for a tasty finger food or a quick lunch. They can also be used in many rustic recipes, to flavor savory pies and casseroles, as a topping for pasta courses or in preparing delicious snacks to be served during happy hour.

Is salami actually Italian? ›

The modern recipe of salami probably originated in Italy in the early 18th century. It was adopted later in other countries, particularly in central Europe, with adapted manufacturing procedures. At that time, it was largely consumed by the wealthy, as meat in general was very expensive.

In what order do you dress a pizza? ›

In conclusion, we have seen that there is an order to put toppings on a pizza. The first step is to put the sauce on the pizza. Then, you put the cheese on the pizza. After that, you put the toppings on the pizza.

Does pizza pepperoni go on top or under cheese? ›

This approach would result in yells (especially from the kids), the least of which is “Where's the pepperoni?” Tradition suggests that the pepperoni is smack on top of the cheese, so that the slices get a lot of heat, allowing them to cook just enough to release the essential oils, hence the taste and flavor.

Does cheese and salami go together? ›

Soppressata, a dry salami, can be made with both pork or beef. Whichever kind you choose, you can't go wrong pairing it with havarti, a creamy, semi-soft cheese. Havarti's supple, buttery taste allows the herbs and spices in the soppressata to shine through while drawing out the nutty, earthy notes of the cheese.

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