Pizza? Muffins? Together? Yes Indeed, And With A Little Elbow Grease, Way Easier Than You Think

I love pizza. There, I said it. It is one of the best things in the world and can change the mood of a room at the arrival of the familiar flat box. But I also like to turn the familiar on its head a little bit, throw in a unique ingredient, try a different cooking method, employ a piece of equipment not typically used for the dish.

The atypical piece of equipment for pizza is the muffin tin. Muffin tins are a great way to give pizza pizzazz, making the big into mini, and an easy way to serve a crowd, or a family that wants something a little different, but not too different.

Another key piece of equipment for this recipe is a stand mixer as you will need it to make the pizza dough. If you don’t have a stand mixer or want to save on time, then buy pre-made dough and roll and cut it into pieces as indicated in the instructions below.

This recipe from Food 52’s Samantha Seneviratne calls for pepperoni as the main topping but use what you like here. Sausage, mushrooms, banana peppers, bacon, onions, pineapples…you can go wild. But be careful not to use too many toppings otherwise you’ll have soggy crust.

And be sure to have plenty of marinara sauce for dipping!

INGREDIENTS

• ³/₄ cup warm water (110°F to 120°F)
• 1 ¹/₂ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
• ¹/₃ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ¹/₂ teaspoons kosher salt
• Softened butter, for the pan
• 1 cup pizza or marinara sauce, divided, plus more for dipping
• 1 ounce pepperoni, finely chopped
• 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded, plus more for topping
• ¹/₄ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 ounce fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 3 minutes. Add the flour, olive oil, and salt and knead the dough until it is smooth and stretchy, 5 to 10 minutes. Scraped down the sides of the bowl, form the dough into a neat ball, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
2. Butter a 12-cup muffin pan or add liners. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out to about a 7×15-inch rectangle. Spread the sauce evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with pepperoni and basil. Top with mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano. Starting from the long end, carefully roll the dough up and pinch the seam closed.
3. Slice the dough into 12 equal pieces and transfer to the prepared pan. Cover with plastic and let the dough puff one more time, about 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 375°F.
4. Top with a bit more sauce and cheese. Bake until the muffins are set in the center and golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer the tin to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes then use an offset spatula to remove the muffins to a serving plate. Serve immediately with more warm sauce for dipping.