GOOGLY PIZZA MONSTER

Name: Googly Pizza Monster
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2–3 Servings
Ingredients: 300 g wheat flour, plus extra for dusting; 1 tsp dry yeast; 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp olive oil; 180 ml lukewarm water; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped or lightly crushed; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 200 g strained tomatoes; ½ tsp brown sugar; 2–3 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped, plus a few leaves for garnish; ½ tsp dried oregano; Salt and black pepper, to taste; 100 g grated mozzarella or mixed cheese; 25 g Parmesan, grated; 125 g fresh mozzarella, sliced; 8–12 pitted black olives, drained; 1 red bell pepper, cut into long curved strips; 80 g salami, cut into small triangles

Two monsters, one pizza dough: a simple cheese pizza turns into either a wild many-eyed monster or a grinning salami monster. Mozzarella, bell pepper, salami and olives make it a funny pizza plate for little monster fans.

40–45 MINUTES

EASY

2–3 SERVINGS

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INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DOUGH

300 g wheat flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp dry yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

180 ml lukewarm water

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped or lightly crushed

2 tbsp tomato paste

200 g strained tomatoes

½ tsp brown sugar

2–3 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped, plus a few leaves for garnish

½ tsp dried oregano

Salt and black pepper, to taste

FOR THE CHEESE TOPPING

100 g grated mozzarella or mixed cheese

25 g Parmesan, grated

FOR THE MONSTER FACE

125 g fresh mozzarella, sliced

8–12 pitted black olives, drained

ONLY FOR THE MANY-EYED MONSTER

1 red bell pepper, cut into long curved strips

ONLY FOR THE GRINNING MONSTER

80 g salami, cut into small triangles

PREPARATION

Make the dough: mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and lukewarm water and stir into a rough dough. Knead on a floured surface for 5–8 minutes until smooth. Return to the bowl, cover with a cloth and let rest for 20–30 minutes.
Make the sauce: put the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan and warm briefly over medium heat without burning the garlic. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a moment. Add the strained tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, then simmer gently for 15–20 minutes. Use about 100–120 ml for the pizza; store or freeze the rest.
Preheat the oven to 240°C / 465°F, or 220°C / 430°F fan. Roll the dough on a floured surface into a circle about 28–30 cm wide and place it on a lightly oiled baking tray.
Spread about 100–120 ml tomato sauce evenly over the base. Scatter the grated cheese over the whole surface, then add the Parmesan.
Build the FOODMONSTA — choose one version:

CHOOSE A VERSION

MANY-EYED MONSTER

Cut the red bell pepper into long curved strips. First decide where the 8–9 mozzarella eyes should sit. Place the pepper strips flat between the eye positions and bend them slightly outward over the cheese. Do not add the mozzarella yet. Bake at 240°C / 465°F for 6–8 minutes. Remove from the oven and quickly place the mozzarella slices in position, pressing them lightly into the hot cheese. Bake for another 2–3 minutes, until the mozzarella softens and starts to melt but still keeps its round shape. After baking, place one black olive on each mozzarella slice as a pupil. Finish with fresh basil leaves.

GRINNING MONSTER

Arrange the salami triangles in a jagged zigzag on the lower half of the pizza as the mouth, with the points facing inward for a classic bite look. Do not add the mozzarella yet. Bake at 240°C / 465°F for 6–8 minutes. Remove from the oven and quickly place 2–3 mozzarella slices on the upper half of the pizza as the eye whites, grouped close together. Bake for another 2–3 minutes, until the mozzarella softens but still keeps its round shape. After baking, place one or two black olives on each mozzarella slice as pupils. Finish with fresh basil leaves.

Serve immediately. The mozzarella eyes go into the oven late so they stay round and clean. Always add the olive pupils after baking — this keeps them plump, black and neatly round.

GOOGLY PIZZA MONSTER

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

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