Introduction: Pull-Apart Mini Pizza Boats
Tasty and easy to eat cheesy mini pizza boat bites; no pizza cutter or knife needed for this easy and fun pizza treat! Great for parties and get togethers!
Step 1: What You Will Need:
For the Pizza dough:
1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
2 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
2 to 3 cups whole wheat flour (just all-purpose or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp Italian seasoning
3 tbsp olive oil or any cooking oil
For the Pizza sauce:
6 fresh tomatoes
1 medium onion
2 green chilis/jalapenos
2 cloves garlic
2 cartons tomato puree (2 cups total)
Salt to taste
1 to 2 tsp sugar
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp Italian seasoning
For the Pizza filling:
¼ cup each chopped bell pepper, onions and tomatoes
½ cup finely chopped mushrooms
2 green chilis/jalapenos, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped or minced
¼ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp crushed red pepper
Salt to taste
2 tsp oil
¼ to ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
Step 2: To Make the Pizza Boats Dough:
In a glass cup or bowl, add yeast and sugar; pour warm water over it and keep aside to prove.
After 5 to 10 minutes, it should have started to prove and bubble up if the yeast is active. If not, discard this mixture and try again.
Step 3:
Take 2 cups of whole wheat flour in a large bowl. Add salt to taste, Italian seasoning and oil.
Pour the proved yeast mixture over this and mix well to form a soft dough.
Step 4:
Keep adding flour until the dough becomes soft, pliable and smooth.Knead for about 5 to 8 minutes.
Transfer to another greased bowl and turn the dough ball to coat with oil evenly.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled; about 2 to 3 hours, depending upon the temperature in the room.
Step 5: To Make the Pizza Sauce:
Blend tomatoes, onions, garlic and green chilies in a blender jar until smooth and finely pureed.
Step 6:
Transfer this to a large saucepan along with tomato puree, salt, sugar and Italian seasoning. Adjust seasoning, salt and sugar according to taste.
Step 7:
Mix well and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thick, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Keep aside.
Step 8: To Make the Pizza Boat Filling:
In a saucepan, heat oil. Add finely chopped onions, garlic and green chilies.
Saute on medium high heat until the onions are soft.
Step 9:
Stir in finely chopped mushrooms and sauté again for a few seconds on high.
Then add finely chopped bell pepper and tomatoes, salt to taste and dried oregano along with crushed red chili pepper.
Give it a good mix and cook for a few seconds on high and remove from heat.
Step 10:
Once cool, stir in mozzarella cheese.
Filling is ready.
Step 11: Now, to Make the Pull-apart Pizza Boats:
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.Grease a 6 to 8 inch loose-bottomed pan with oil on the bottom and on the sides. Keep ready.
Step 12:
Divide pizza dough into 2.
Roll one into a large round shape and cut into smaller rounds using a round cookie cutter about 3 inches in diameter.
Step 13:
Roll each round from 2 opposite ends until they are a little distance apart from each other.
Join the other 2 opposite ends to form a boat shape. Pinch well. Fill with pizza filling.
Step 14:
Make similar dough boats with the other rounds.
Now, fill each dough boat with the filling until almost to the top.
Step 15:
Arrange these filled pizza boats into the prepared loose-bottomed pan starting from the outer edge in an angled fashion, ending up in the center.
Step 16:
Once the pan is filled with the pizza boats, place in preheated oven.
Step 17:
Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Step 18:
Remove from oven and brush the tops with melted butter.
Serve cheesy, pull-apart mini pizza boats with mayonnaise/marinara sauce/pizza sauce/ketchup etc. as a dip.
Enjoy these as an evening snack or serve them as show stopper appetizers at parties!!
