Pizza Logs (4) Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it. Lightly dust a clean work surface with the all-purpose flour.

Unwrap the refrigerated pizza dough and let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to make it easier to roll. If dough is already soft, proceed.

Roll the dough into a roughly 12x10-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Try to keep edges even so logs roll consistently.

Mix the dried oregano and crushed red pepper into the pizza sauce (optional) to distribute seasoning. Spoon the sauce evenly down the center third of the dough rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides so the filling doesn't leak.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce. Reserve the remaining 1/2 cup for topping or inside as desired.

Arrange 6 pepperoni slices lengthwise in a single row on top of the cheese near the center of the sauced strip. If you prefer more pepperoni, overlap slightly; total used per log is ~6 slices.

Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of grated parmesan over the pepperoni and cheese layer (reserve remaining parmesan for topping).

Starting at one long side of the dough rectangle, roll the dough tightly over the filling toward the opposite side, creating a long log. Pinch the seam closed and pinch the ends to seal so cheese doesn't escape.

Cut the long log into 4 equal pieces (each will be an individual pizza log). If you prefer smaller or larger logs, adjust cuts. Place each log seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1-2 inches between them.

Beat the large egg with 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash. Lightly brush the tops and sides of each log with the egg wash to promote browning.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and remaining parmesan evenly over the top of the logs, pressing lightly so cheese adheres. If you like extra herbs, sprinkle a little extra dried oregano on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, until dough is golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbling. If your oven runs hot, start checking at 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and let the pizza logs rest 3-5 minutes on the baking sheet; this helps the cheese set for cleaner slicing.

Transfer pizza logs to a cutting board. Optionally garnish with chopped fresh basil. Serve warm with extra marinara on the side for dipping.