Mediterranean Turtle-Shaped Pepperoni Pizzas

These Mediterranean Turtle-Shaped Pepperoni Pizzas are fun, savory, and delicious. We prepare these pizzas with pizza dough, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, red onion, oregano, garlic, paprika, parsley, and extra-virgin olive oil. These pizzas have approximately 430 calories and 40 g of net carbs. We make these pizzas in about 35 to 40 minutes. These Mediterranean Turtle-Shaped Pepperoni Pizzas are ideal for family dinners, children’s meals, parties, lunch, casual gatherings, game nights, and Mediterranean-inspired meals. You can prepare these pizzas earlier because we refrigerate them for 4 days and freeze them for almost 2 months. You can serve these pizzas with Greek Salad, Cucumber Tomato Salad, Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables, Tzatziki, or Hummus.

STATS:

• Course: Main Course, Lunch, Dinner
• No. of Calories: 430 kcal
• Diet: Mediterranean
• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cuisine: Mediterranean, American
• Cook time: 18 minutes
• Portion size: 1 pizza
• Cooking mode: Oven
• Total servings: 4
• Difficulty level: Easy
• Total time: 40 minutes

TOOLS:

• Tray
• Baking paper
• Rolling pin
• Pizza cutter
• Bowl
• Pastry brush
• Measuring spoons

INGREDIENTS:

PIZZA DOUGH:

• 1 lb pizza dough
• ½ cup marinara
• 1½ cups mozzarella
• 24 slices pepperoni
• ¼ cup Kalamata olives
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup red onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 4 pieces black olives
• 1 tbsp Parmesan

INGREDIENT NOTES AND THEIR SUBSTITUTIONS:

PIZZA DOUGH:

• We use pizza dough to provide a soft and golden base for these turtle-shaped pizzas. As a replacement, you can use whole-wheat pizza dough or gluten-free pizza dough.

MOZZARELLA:

• We use mozzarella to provide a creamy, melted, and cheesy topping. As an alternative, you can use part-skim mozzarella, provolone, or a mixture of mozzarella and feta.

PEPPERONI:

• Pepperoni provides a savory and delicious flavor to these pizzas. As an alternative, you can use turkey pepperoni, chicken pepperoni, or cooked chicken.

KALAMATA OLIVES:

• Kalamata olives provide a rich Mediterranean flavor and a slightly salty taste. We might also utilize green olives or black olives.

CHERRY TOMATOES:

• Cherry tomatoes add freshness, color, and natural sweetness to the pizzas. As an alternative, you can use diced Roma tomatoes or roasted red peppers.

RED ONION:

• Mediterranean flavor and a hint of sharpness are provided by red onion. You can replace it with shallots or sweet onion.

OLIVE OIL:

• Olive oil provides richness and classic Mediterranean flavor. We may utilize regular olive oil if required.

OREGANO:

• Oregano provides an aromatic herbal flavor to the pizzas. Italian seasoning or fresh oregano can also be used.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Warm the empty oven to 220° Celcius.
2. Distribute the pizza dough into 4 equal portions.
3. We roll all the portions into a small oval shape.
4. Shape every dough piece like a turtle by preparing a rounded shell, small head, & 4 legs.
5. Put the shaped dough on a tray.
6. Distribute the marinara sauce on the shell area.
7. Spread the mozzarella cheese on the sauce.
8. Include the red onion, pepperoni, cherry tomatoes, and Kalamata olives.
9. Garnish the pizzas with black pepper, oregano, paprika, and garlic powder.
10. Include small black olive pieces for the turtle eyes if required.
11. Bake till the crust become golden & the cheese gets melted, for about eighteen minutes .
12. Cool for just three minutes and sprinkle the fresh parsley
13. Include a little drizzle of olive oil, and then serve.

TIPS:

• Avoid loading the pizzas too much with toppings.
• Include fresh parsley after baking for perfect flavor.
• We utilize a preheated pizza stone to get a crispier crust.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

FRESH & FRUITY:

• Greek Salad
• Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Arugula Salad
• Fresh Tomato Salad

MEDITERRANEAN PAIRINGS:

• Tzatziki
• Hummus
• Garlic Yogurt Dip
• Whipped Feta
• Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables

STORAGE INFORMATION:

FRIDGE:

• Put the cooled pizzas in a closed box and store them for almost 3 to 4 days.

FREEZER:

• Cover the cooled pizzas separately and store them for almost 2 months.

FAQs:

Will we prepare these pizzas vegetarian?

• Yes, you can alternate the pepperoni with additional olives, mushrooms, artichokes, or spinach, roasted peppers.

Could we prepare these pizzas earlier?

• Yes, you can shape and top the pizzas a few hours beforehand and chill them till ready to bake.

May we prepare these pizzas in an air fryer?

• Yes, you can air-fry these pizzas at about 175° Celcius till the cheese is melted and crust is golden.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

Proteins: 20 g

Caloric Content: 430 kcal

Net carbs: 40 g

Sodium: 900 mg

Fiber: 3 g

Sugar: 5 g

Fats: 20 g

Portion Size: 1 pizza

Total carbs: 43 g