Mediterranean Octopus-Shaped Pepperoni Pizza

This Mediterranean Octopus-Shaped Pepperoni Pizza is cute, crispy, cheesy, and flavorful. We prepare these pizzas with mozzarella cheese, turkey or chicken pepperoni, bell peppers, olives, pizza sauce, mushrooms, olive oil, pizza dough, oregano, basil, and garlic powder. These pizzas have approximately 285 calories and 29 g of net carbs. We make them in about 35 minutes. These Mediterranean Octopus-Shaped Pepperoni Pizzas are ideal for lunch, snacks, family meals, children’s parties, game nights, gatherings, and fun weekend cooking. You can prepare these pizzas earlier, as we refrigerate them for three days and freeze them for almost two months. You can serve these pizzas with Greek Salad, Roasted Zucchini, Hummus, Tzatziki, or Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables.

STATS:

• Course: Main Course, Snack
• No. of Calories: 285 kcal
• Diet: Mediterranean
• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian
• Cook time: 15 minutes
• Portion size: 1 mini pizza
• Cooking mode: Oven-baked
• Total servings: 6
• Difficulty level: Easy
• Total time: 35 minutes

TOOLS:

• Tray
• Baking paper
• Rolling pin
• Knife
• Spoon

INGREDIENTS:

PIZZA DOUGH:

• 1 lb. pizza dough

PIZZA TOPPING:

• ¾ cup pizza sauce
• 1½ cups mozzarella
• 24 slices turkey
• ½ cup bell pepper
• ¼ cup olives
• ¼ cup mushrooms
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp basil
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 1 beaten egg
• 12 small pieces black olive

INGREDIENT NOTES AND THEIR SUBSTITUTIONS:

PIZZA DOUGH:

• We use whole-wheat dough to provide a hearty texture and more fiber. As an alternative, you can use regular pizza dough or gluten-free dough.

MOZZARELLA:

• We use mozzarella to provide a creamy, cheesy topping. As an alternative, you can use part-skim mozzarella or dairy-free cheese.

PEPPERONI:

• We use turkey or chicken pepperoni for a lighter topping with classic pizza flavor. You can also use grilled chicken, turkey sausage, or vegetables.

BELL PEPPER:

• Bell pepper provides color, freshness, and a mild sweetness. You can substitute spinach, zucchini, or tomatoes.

OLIVES:

• Olives provide a delicious Mediterranean flavor. Kalamata olives or capers can be used instead.

MUSHROOMS:

• Mushrooms add savory flavor and texture. You can replace them with spinach, zucchini, or eggplant.

OLIVE OIL:

• Olive oil provides Mediterranean flavor and healthy unsaturated fats.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Warm the oven to 220° Celcius and coat a tray with baking paper.
2. Distribute the pizza dough into six portions and roll all the portions into a small oval.
3. We cut the lower part of each oval into eight strips to make the octopus tentacles.
4. Distribute the pizza sauce on the rounded body of all pizzas
5. Include the olives, mozzarella, mushrooms, pepperoni, and bell pepper.
6. Garnish with garlic powder, oregano, and basil.
7. Put the small olive pieces on the pizzas to make the eyes.
8. Gently coat the tentacles with olive oil or beaten egg.
9. Bake till the cheese melts and become golden, for almost twelve minutes.
10. Cool lightly and then serve.

TIPS:

• We utilize fresh veggies for a perfect flavor.
• Avoid including a lot of toppings on the tentacles.
• We utilize baking paper to avoid sticking.
• Include artichokes, feta, tomatoes, or spinach for additional Mediterranean flavor.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

SALADS:

• Greek Salad
• Cucumber Salad
• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Arugula Salad

VEGETABLE SIDES:

• Roasted Zucchini
• Roasted Eggplant
• Green Beans
• Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables

DIPS:

• Hummus
• Tzatziki
• Roasted Red Pepper Dip
• White Bean Dip

STORAGE INFORMATION:

FRIDGE:

• Refrigerate the cooled pizzas for three days in a covered box.

FREEZER:

• Store the cooled pizzas for almost 2 months.

FAQs:

Could we utilize regular pepperoni?

• Yes, you can use regular pepperoni as a different choice for chicken pepperoni or turkey.

May we make these pizzas vegetarian?

• Yes, you can alternate the pepperoni with other veggies, mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, or zucchini.

Will we utilize packaged pizza dough?

• Yes, you can use store-bought regular or whole-wheat pizza dough.

Could we prepare these pizzas earlier?

• Yes, you can shape the dough and prepare the toppings beforehand.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

Proteins: 16 g

Caloric Content: 285 kcal

Net carbs: 29 g

Sodium: 590 mg

Fiber: 4 g

Sugar: 4 g

Fats: 11 g

Portion Size: 1 mini pizza

Total carbs: 33 g