CHRISTMAS PIZZA TREE
I think appetizers and activities in the kitchen this close to the end of the year have to be easy, fun and extremely delicious. It’s the time to eat and drink yummy things.
This recipe as an appetizer is greta because you only need a few ingredients and the flavors are so greta and simple everybody will love it!
Another reason why I loved this recipe is because if you want to serve it as an appetizer, make the balls smaller, bite size. On the other hand if you want to have this as dinner, make bigger balls with more mozzarella inside. Almost like making pizza for dinner!
And who doesn’t like pizza?
EQUIPMENT:
Rolling pin: The first thing you need to do is roll out the dough.
Baking sheet: Put the tree together on the baking sheet and place it directly in the oven.
Parchment paper: Use parchment paper to avoid sticking!
Knives: To cut the cheese in smaller pieces. Also, to cut the dough in equal pieces. You can also use a pizza cutter for the dough!
Bowls: Small bowls for flour, egg wash and the butter mixture.
Silicone brush: To cover the raw dough with egg wash and after it’s baked, with the butter mixture.
TIPS:
Size: For an appetizer, make the balls small, kind of bite sized. Remember dough tends to grow in the oven so measure accordingly.
Weight: Weigh the balls once you’ve filled it with the mozzarella so that they all have the same size. I mean, it’s not completely necessary but it will help.
Butter: The idea is to serve this beautiful tree warm. That way, the cheese is melted, the bread is warm and the tomate sauce on the side as well. So once you are ready to eat or serve the pizza tree, brush it with butter.
Reheating: The best thing you can do to reheat the pizza tree is turn on the oven for a few minutes at a high temperature and place the tree inside. Remember, just for a couple of minutes, we don’t want to bake its ore, just heat it. This way it maintains the flavor and texture.
Dough: If you wan to change it up a bit, I can recommend making this recipe with buttermilk biscuits. Try this recipe!
Making the tree: Start with the top of the tree. Place one ball, then two balls under that, then three, then four and so on until you use all the dough or all the space in your pan. Remember to save two or three balls for the tree trunk!
CHRISTMAS PIZZA TREE
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw pizza dough
- 250 to 300 gr mozzarella
- 1 Jar tomato sauce
- 70 gr salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 2 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 350F. Place parchment paper on the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle some flour on the table and place your dough.
- Roll out the dough and cut in same size squares. The amount of square depends on the size of the ball you want to make.
- Place mozarella in the center of the squares and shape them into balls covering the mozarella completely with the dough.
- Place the balls in the baking sheet in the shape of a tree. Start with one on the top, add two balls under that, three under the second line and so on until it looks like a tree.
- Use two or three balls for the trunk.
- Miz the egg yolk with a bit of water to make egg wash and cover the balls completely. Place them in the oven for 20 minutes or so.
- Add butter, salt, basil, oregano, parsley, and rosemary in a bowl and place it in the microwave for 30 seconds or until completely melted.
- Mix well and brush the entire baked pizza tree, using all the butter. Serve warm with warm tomato sauce
