How to Make Your Sweetie a Heart-Shaped Pizza
Pizza: The ultimate expression of love.
Nothing says “I love you” more than pizza. Think about it: golden crust topped with sauce, lots of melted cheese and an abundance of pepperoni — that just screams “LOVE” to me. So this Valentine’s Day I think you should show your loved ones just how much you adore them by making a heart-shaped pizza.
Before you start thinking that it’s out of reach and too complicated, I’m here to tell you that it’s a lot easier than you think. I’ll even take it a step further and show you how to make a heart-shaped pizza through a series of step-by-step instructions and photos (complete with heart-shaped pepperoni, of course).
1 Bloom the Yeast
Start with a simple and straightforward pizza dough recipe for thin crust pizza. Begin this process by blooming the yeast in warm water (with a little bit of sugar). You want the yeast to get foamy and frothy.
2 Make the Dough
Then combine the flour, salt, olive oil and the yeast mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook. Mix on medium-high until the dough comes together and forms a soft, somewhat sticky dough, about 6 to 8 minutes.
3 Let the Dough Rise
Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl, flip it over to coat both sides, and then cover loosely with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel. Let rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
4 Cut the Pepperoni Hearts
To prepare the pepperoni, use a small (1 to 2-inch) heart-shaped cookie cutter, and cut out heart shapes from the pepperoni slices. It’s best to find large slices of pepperoni, depending on the size of your cutter.
5 Roll Out the Dough
Once the dough has risen, cut it in half, and keep one half covered. Working with one piece at a time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to a large circle, about 1/4 of an inch thick.
6 Cut the Dough
Using a sharp pairing knife, cut a wide “V” shape at the top of the circle. This will be the top of our heart. Transfer the dough to a pizza pan (or upside-down baking sheet) that has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal to prevent it from sticking. Then shape the dough into a heart with your hands. Round out the top and pinch the bottom to create that classic heart shape.
7 Load Up on the Toppings
Spread the pizza with either homemade or store-bought pizza sauce. Because the dough is a thin crust, you don’t want to add too much sauce, or the pizza will become soggy.
Sprinkle the top generously with shredded mozzarella cheese and a bit of grated parmesan. Then top with the heart-shaped pepperoni.
8 Finish in the Oven
Bake in a preheated 425 degree F oven until golden brown and the cheese is bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and let cool slightly before cutting and serving.