Pizza Monkey Bread

Circle B Kitchen

Just a couple of tips… I got all of my dough balls stuffed before rolling them in the olive oil and parmesan; just a little neater and easier. Also, I used a 10-inch springform tube pan which made removal easy, although I've also made this in a regular bundt pan and it worked just fine. You might just have to use a knife to loosen it around the edges a bit before over-turning it. Baking times may vary based on the size of your pan and how many dough balls you make. Enjoy!

1 lb Pizza dough (homemade or store-bought –here’s my recipe)

Small mozzarella balls, cut in half or string cheese sticks cut into pieces

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese

Marinara sauce

Spray a tube pan, springform pan, bundt pan or angel food cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Place about ½ cup of olive oil in a little bowl and about 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese in another bowl.

Pull off a little piece of pizza dough and form a ball around 1 ½ inches around.

Make a little indentation in the middle of the dough ball and stuff the piece of mozzarella cheese inside. Pull the dough up and around the cheese to enclose it and then roll the dough into a nice round ball.

Roll the dough ball in the olive oil, then into the parmesan cheese and then place it in it in the prepared pan.

Continue making little dough balls like this until your pan is about ¾ or 2/3 filled. I made 3 layers of dough balls

Cover the pan with a cloth and let the dough balls rise for about an hour.

While the dough rises, place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees.

Remove the cloth and place the pan in the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the dough balls are golden and spring back when touched.

Let cool briefly and then turn it out onto a serving platter. While still warm, pull little dough balls off and dip them in warm marinara sauce.