Pizza Rolls

 Let's talk about pizza. I could write odes and sonnets and sing a million serenades to pizza, but I won't. At least not while you're watching. Just know that this love is real. There are countless delightful variations of this major food group; thin crust, deep dish, New York, Chicago, calzones, stromboli...the list goes on. Today I want to talk about these delicious pockets of wonderfulness: stuffed pizza rolls!

You don't have to, but I highly recommend making your own pizza dough. It is easy. It is delicious. It will change your life for the better.

Simple Pizza Dough
(wet ingredients)
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil

(dry ingredients)
2 cups flour, plus 2-3 more cups
2 tablespoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

1. In a microwave safe container, combine the wet ingredients and microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
2. In a bowl, combine 2 cups of flour with the other dry ingredients. I used an electric mixer. It can be mixed by hand, but the electric mixer takes care of most of the kneading.
3. With the mixer on medium low, slowly pour the warm liquid mixture into the dry ingredients.
4. Gradually add another 2-3 cups of flour. Add just enough flour that the dough completely pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If mixing by hand, add flour in until the dough is no longer sticky, but is still pretty elastic.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times then let rest for 10-20 minutes under a towel.

While the dough is resting, get your toppings together. You can go buck wild here. Put anything your heart desires in there! We had some italian sausage crumbles, chicken, sauteed sweet peppers, mushrooms, onions, mozzarella cheese, and bleu cheese. We did a variety of combinations. After the dough has rested, cut it into roll size chunks and stretch and flatten them.

Place a small mound of toppings in the center of each dough round. To seal, bring two edges together, press, and then twist the opposite sides up and press together. It should come together pretty easily to create little pizza dumplings :) Place the rolls on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with a few tablespoons of water) and top with sesame seeds or a seasoning if you're feeling fancy. Use a knife or fork to poke some small holes in the dough to release steam and avoid them exploding in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees, until lightly golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Optional: serve with a side of pizza sauce. Mandatory: devour!