Ingredients
- 1 lb store-bought pizza dough
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (cooking grade), plus more good quality olive oil to finish
- Stick pepperoni (Boar's Head or similar), cut into small cubes
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Parmesan cheese, generously grated (divided into two additions)
- Marinara sauce for dipping (Rao's or homemade)
Instructions
- Heat a 10-inch cast iron or carbon steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and olive oil, then add cubed pepperoni. Fry until fat releases and edges start to crisp.
- Add chopped garlic to the pan. As soon as it becomes fragrant but before it browns, turn off the heat and let residual heat finish the cooking.
- Tip the pepperoni and garlic mixture (with all the fat) into a large bowl. Leave the pan unwashed — you'll use it again.
- Add chopped parsley to the bowl.
- Oil your work surface (not flour). Flatten the pound of pizza dough into an oval and divide into approximately 24 pieces: halve, then quarter, then cut each quarter into 6 strips.
- Tie each strip into a knot (loop around two fingers, spread fingers, pull the end through — like tying a balloon).
- Toss knots into the bowl with the pepperoni-garlic fat. Add a generous handful of Parmesan. Toss to coat everything well.
- Arrange knots in a single layer back in the cast iron skillet.
- Cover with foil and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour until roughly doubled, OR refrigerate overnight and bake the next day.
- When ready to bake, add another generous shower of Parmesan on top.
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 25-30 minutes until golden brown all over.
- Remove from oven. Brush immediately with a little good quality olive oil and add one final shower of Parmesan.
- Serve with a bowl of marinara sauce for dipping. Good warm or at room temperature.
My Notes
⚠️ Exact pepperoni quantity not stated — enough to generously dot all 24 knots.
⚠️ Full written recipe and bonus content available on Kenji's Patreon.
Kenji's tip: the knotted shape catches bits of garlic and pepperoni oil, which is the whole point of the knot vs. a plain roll.
Full Article
Transcript source: Kenji's Cooking Show, YouTube.
Originally published on Serious Eats, 2012.