Pizza 3 Ways

"There's a pizza place near where I live that sells only slices.  In the back you can see a guy tossing a triangle in the air."

- Stephen Wright

This is something I came up with for my kids.  They love pizza in any form.  Using refrigerated biscuits cuts prep time considerably.  I personally do not like canned biscuits, so I don't love this recipe, but I like it enough I would eat it again.  My kids, on the other hand, begged for more!  As promised, using the same set of ingredients, you will be able to make pizza 3 different ways in about an hour.

Pizza 3 Ways

2 cans Pillsbury Grands Butter Tastin' biscuits (16 biscuits total)

1 jar pizza sauce

1 package pepperonis

Fancy Shred Mozzarella and Cheddar cheese

4 Tb butter

garlic clove, minced -or- garlic powder/salt

Pizza Pull Apart Bread

1. Divide each biscuit in half.  You can either slice it into 2 half-circles, or you can separate it into 2 layers as if you were separating it after baking.  The second method is a bit trickier, but you need to do it for the next 2 pizzas anyway.

2. Chop about 20 pepperonis into small pieces.  I used a Tupperware food chopper.

3. Flatten each biscuit half with a rolling pin or your fingers until it is approximately 1/8" thick.

  

4. Spoon about 1 tsp pizza sauce into the middle.

5. Add a pinch of pepperoni and a pinch of each type of cheese.

6. To seal these, bring opposite corners together over the center and pinch.  Repeat for the other 2 corners.  It will look a bit like a wanton.

7. Arrange the bundles, seam-side down, in a tube pan lightly coated with cooking spray.

8. Melt the butter over medium-low heat, stir in the garlic or garlic powder/salt.  Brush on tops of bundles.  Sprinkle tops with a small amount of each type of cheese.

9. Bake in 350º oven for at least 20 minutes.  They will be a nice golden brown.  They may need a few more than 20 minutes because the parts that touch will stay a bit underdone.  I wouldn't do more than 25 minutes, though, or they might burn.

 10. Let cool in pan about 5 minutes before turning out onto a plate to serve.  Be sure to flip it over so the pretty side is up!

Individual Pizza

1. Divide each biscuit from the second can in half as if you were separating it after baking.  You will have 2 circles of biscuit dough (16 total).  Use 8 for this and 8 for the next way.

2. Roll dough out until it is an approximately 6" circle.  Transfer to a baking sheet.  Add pizza sauce leaving a 1/2" crust around the edge.

3. Top 4 with pepperonis and all with both kinds of cheese, taking care to leave a crust around the edges.

4. Brush garlic butter around edges.

5. Bake in 350º oven for 12 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.

Calzones

1. Using the remaining 8 biscuit halves, roll dough out until it is an approximately 6" circle.  

2. Spread approximately 1 tsp pizza sauce on the center of the bottom half of the circle.

3. Top with 2 overlapping pepperonis.

4. Add a pinch of each type of cheese.

5. Fold over the top half of the circle and use a fork to crimp the edges.

6. Transfer the calzone to a baking sheet and use a knife to cut 3 small slits in the top of the dough.

7. Brush on garlic butter.

8. Bake in 350º oven for 12 minutes or until crust is golden.

Heat remaining pizza sauce and garlic butter and serve as dipping sauce.