Whole Wheat Pizza with Turkey Apple Sausage, Caramelized Onions, and Homemade Fig/Olive Jam

I recently tasted an usual but delicious spread at my cousin's house - Sweet Kalamata Olive Spread from Trader Joe's. I went to two different Trader Joe's in an effort to find it for myself, but alas, it has been discontinued! Here's a version I created, adding some organic brown figs for a more complex flavor. Turns out I like it even better than the original!

Fig and Kalamata Olive Jam 

2 pints organic brown figs, cut into slices

8 oz. pitted Kalamata olives, drained (jarred or from the salad bar at your local grocery store)

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs. chopped fresh rosemary

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high. Add the figs and olives and saute 3-4 minutes until figs are tender. Add the sugar, vinegar, and rosemary. Lower the heat and Cook 7-10 minutes or until vinegar is absorbed and the mixture thickens into a jam-like consistency. Add a little more vinegar if it dries out too fast. Cool and spoon into mason jars or a tupperware. Keeps up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Serve with cheese and crackers or bruschetta (it's especially nice on rosemary foccacia crackers - I found some at Whole Foods). Or you can use it on a pizza, like I did last night! Recipe follows.

Whole Wheat Pizza with Turkey Apple Sausage, Caramelized Onions, and Fig/Olive Jam

1 whole wheat pizza dough

1 sweet onion, sliced

2 links chicken apple sausage (or your favorite sweet sausage)

About 5 baby portabello mushrooms, sliced

About 3 tbs. fig and olive jam

1 tbs. olive oil

About 1/4 cup ricotta cheese (enough to spread a thin layer on the bottom of the crust)

About 8 small mozzarella balls

1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Parmesan blend

1/4 cup jarred tomato sauce

Fresh basil leaves

1 tsp. garlic powder

Sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 or 500 degrees (depending how high your oven can go). Roll out the dough on a floured surface. In a saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add onion. Saute 3-4 minutes until softened and add a pinch of salt. Add mushrooms and saute another minute or so.Cut sausage into rounds and add to the onion and mushrooms. Saute until browned and heated through. Let mixture cool.

Spread tomato sauce on the dough in a thin, even layer. Plop on ricotta cheese, then smooth out. Season with a sprinkle of salt, a little garlic powder, and some of the Parmesan. Top with onion, sausage, and mushroom mixture and arrange ingredients evenly. Dot pizza with fig and olive spread and mozzarella balls. Sprinkle on remaining Parmesan. Bake for 15 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and cooked through. Top with fresh basil just before serving.