Pizza Stuffed Pretzels

As a stay at home mom, I tend to eat whatever I can find for lunch. The only exception is when I have friends over for lunch dates. Normally, I'll have lunch already prepared before my friends arrived but that wasn't the case the other day. My friend Suzanne came over recently and I had nothing really ready. After a peek in my fridge and pantry, I whipped up these Pizza Stuffed Pretzels while Suzanne and I chatted away in the kitchen. They came out great and perfect for lunch!...

I've always been a fan of stuffed pretzels - both sweet and savory. You can fill them with whatever you'd like and the possibilities are endless! This is something I plan on making more often as a snack to keep on hand in the freezer.

Pizza Stuffed Pretzels
recipe adapted from Rachel Ray

Pizza Dough:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2-2/3 cup hot water (120-130°F)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer to mix fitted with a dough hook.

Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the stand mixer is running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Continue mixing until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes.

Filling:
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup pepperoni slices
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 egg slightly beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup marinara or pasta sauce (homemade or store bought)

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Cut the prepared pizza dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each out into a rectangle. Scatter the cheese, pepperoni and mushrooms over the dough. Brush the one of the long sides with a little egg wash then, starting with the opposite side, roll the dough up into a log, enclosing the toppings inside. Shape the log into a pretzel and transfer to a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the pizza pretzel with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

While the pizza pretzel is baking, place a medium pot over medium-high heat to heat up marinara or pasta sauce, until warm. Serve the pizza pretzel with the marinara/pasta sauce dipper alongside.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the pretzels as directed above and do not bake. Instead, wrap prepared pretzels in plastic wrap and foil. Place in a freezer bag and freeze. When ready to prepare, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place frozen stuffed pretzel on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes. No need to defrost pretzel before baking.