Creepy Crawly Spider Pizza

Name: Creepy Crawly Spider Pizza
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 5 ml Olive oil for brushing and pan coating; 15 g Cornmeal for dusting the pan; 450 g Pizza dough room temperature; 10 ml Olive oil for brushing and pan coating; 2 g Fine salt for dough finishing; 2 g Garlic powder optional seasoning for crust; 180 g Marinara sauce divided; 225 g Low-moisture mozzarella cheese shredded; 40 g Pepperoni slices for spider bodies; 60 g Black olives pitted and sliced into strips; 60 g Marinara sauce divided; 1 g Dried oregano optional seasoning for sauce and pizza

A home-style round pizza topped to look like spiders using pepperoni bodies and olive legs, baked until the crust is browned and the cheese is molten, then served with warm marinara for dipping.

By Julienne

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

5 ml Olive oil for brushing and pan coating
15 g Cornmeal for dusting the pan
450 g Pizza dough room temperature
10 ml Olive oil for brushing and pan coating
2 g Fine salt for dough finishing
2 g Garlic powder optional seasoning for crust
180 g Marinara sauce divided
225 g Low-moisture mozzarella cheese shredded
40 g Pepperoni slices for spider bodies
60 g Black olives pitted and sliced into strips
60 g Marinara sauce divided
1 g Dried oregano optional seasoning for sauce and pizza

Instructions

Heat the oven to 245°C. If using a baking stone, place it in the oven while it preheats. Lightly oil a 12-inch pizza pan or rimmed baking sheet, then dust it with cornmeal if using. The oven is fully preheated and the pan is coated so the dough will release cleanly.
Stretch or roll the dough into a 30 cm round and transfer it to the pan. Brush the dough with a thin film of olive oil, then season the edge with the salt and garlic powder if using. The dough sits evenly in the pan with a lightly seasoned edge.
Spread 180 g of the marinara over the dough, leaving a 1.5 cm border. Sprinkle on the mozzarella, then arrange pepperoni into 4 spider bodies and place olive strips as legs around each body. The pizza surface is covered but the border remains visible, and the toppings clearly read as spiders.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until the crust is deep golden at the edges and the cheese is bubbling with a few browned spots. Warm the remaining marinara in a small saucepan over low heat while the pizza bakes, and stir in the oregano if using. The crust is browned, the cheese is fully melted, and the sauce is hot for dipping.
Let the pizza rest for 3 minutes, then slice and serve with the warm marinara on the side. The cheese settles slightly and slices cut cleanly.