Sweet and salty always wins me over.  It gives me the best of both worlds and satisfies all of my cravings.  I recently heard about an Italian dish that was so simple, but so genius.  It was literally roasted sausage and grapes that were cooked together!  I immediately knew this was a combination that I had to try out for myself!  The marriage of pork and a sweet fruit is not a new idea by any means.  I have used figs, cantaloupe, peaches...the list goes on.  For some reason though, I have never thought to use grapes!  And what a pleasant surprise it was!  My sausage, grape, and ricotta pizza is the perfect sweet and salty combo that makes for a light and summery pizza!

If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, pizza would be a top contender.  I love it.  Most weeks I find a way to eat it, whether it's takeout, homemade, or even easy pita pizzas will do the trick.  I'm not picky either.  I like it with sauce, no sauce, veggie, or meat lover style.  I am very non-judgmental when it comes to how I like my pizza.  Is anyone with me here?  Maybe it's because I love carbs and cheese, but regardless you guys have to get on board with this new combination of pizza!

This recipe is perfect for summertime because it's light, fresh tasting, and doesn't require too much effort.  I use spicy sausage, the grapes get caramelized and super sweet, and then I top it with creamy ricotta on a whole wheat crust.  It's rustic, fresh, and you are going to love it!

This pizza would be so great for a Friday night with friends outside on a patio with wine, music, and some sort of yummy gelato for dessert.  Try it out for yourself and fall in love with this unique combination!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Hot Italian Sausage
• 1 Cup of Grapes (I used a mix of green and red)
• 4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
• 1/2 Red Onion, Sliced Thin
• 1 Cup of Ricotta Cheese
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (I use this recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod)

Directions:

• Make your pizza dough or you can also buy pre-made dough from Whole Foods or Trader Joes that is really easy to roll out.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Remove your sausage from it's casing and saute until browned.  Drain on a paper towel lined plate to remove excess grease.
• Wash grapes and remove from stems.
• Remove leaves from thyme sprigs and give them a rough chop.
• Once dough is rolled out to about 1/8 inch, brush olive oil over crust and sprinkle with salt and pepper and thyme leaves.
• Add sausage to the dough in an even layer, red onion, then add grapes, and lastly dollop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese evenly on the pizza.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until crust is golden, and flavors have combined.
• Serve immediately.

Making this pizza just gives you another excuse to have pizza night in your house this week. Just let me know what time, and I'll be there! :)  Deal?