Mac & Cheese-Stuffed Crust Pizza

The best of both worlds! A tasty cheesy pizza with a molten mac & cheese filling within the crispy crust.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• Mac and Cheese

• 6  ounces macaroni
• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
• 3  tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄4 cups milk
• 7  ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1⁄2 ounce asiago cheese, shredded
• 1⁄8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•  salt

• Pizza

• 1 (16 ounce)  store-bought  pizza dough
• 1  ounce mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup  store-bought  pizza sauce
• 8 -10  bocconcini
• 8 -10  slices  pepperoni
• 1⁄4 cup fresh basil leaf

Directions

1. For the mac and cheese:
2. Cook the macaroni in a medium pot of boiling water, according to the directions on the package. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a medium pot over a medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to toast the flour. Turn the heat down to low and gradually whisk in the milk until all the milk has been added and the mixture is smooth. Keep cooking over a low heat, stirring until thickened. Stir in the white cheddar and asagio cheese with the garlic powder and cayenne. Season with salt, to taste.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked macaroni. Set aside.
5. For the pizza:
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Place the dough on a large piece of parchment paper, dust lightly with flour, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into an 18 inch circle. Lift this onto a baking sheet or pizza pan – don’t worry if the dough overhangs as you’re going to fold the crust inwards in a second.
8. Pipe or spoon a ring of mac & cheese around the edge of the pizza dough circle, leaving an outer border of about 2 inches. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the mac & cheese. Fold the outer edges of the circle over the mac & cheese and press down firmly to seal – this forms the crust with the pasta sealed within.
9. Spread the olive oil, and then the pizza sauce, in the centre of the pizza in an even layer. Top with the bocconcini and pepperoni. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is starting to brown.
10. Sprinkle the hot pizza with some basil and serve.