Description
This easy idea for a “Lion King” themed pizza will be a hit when working with kids in the kitchen this summer!
Ingredients
Pizza dough, homemade or store-bought refrigerated
Pizza sauce, homemade or store-bought
Mozzarella cheese, about 3 cups
Pepperoni
Sliced black olives, for eyes
3 julienned carrot strips
For Homemade Dough (Optional):
3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon sugar
1 envelope instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface or pastry mat into a circle.
- Place shaped dough on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes.
- Remove pizza dough from oven and add sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, black olives, and carrots to resemble a lion face.
- Return to oven and bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your dough and desired doneness.
For Homemade Dough (Optional):
- Combine the bread flour, salt, sugar, yeast in a stand mixer. Add water and oil while still mixing, until the dough forms into a ball. Add in more flour if needed. Once dough has completely combined, scoop it out onto a floured surface and knead it into a big, smooth ball.
- Thoroughly oil down a large bowl with the remaining olive oil. Next, place dough in the bowl and cover it with a towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise for at least an hour.
- About ten minutes before you are ready to make your pizza, flip the dough back out onto a flour-covered cutting board and coat it in the flour—cover it again for about 10 minutes. Then you will be ready to roll it out for the pizza!
Notes
If using a store bought pizza dough, try bringing it to room temperature before you roll it out/shape it! It makes things so much easier.