Name: Campbell Pizzas Piccolo Pizza Recipe
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 unit pizza dough (store-bought or homemade); 2 tbs all-purpose flour (for dusting); 1 tbs olive oil (for brushing crust); 1 cup marinara sauce (preferably seasoned); 1 tsp garlic (minced); 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 cups whole-milk mozzarella (shredded); 2 tbs parmesan (grated, optional); 40 unit pepperoni slices; 0.25 lb ground beef (80/20); 0.25 lb Italian sausage (bulk, sweet or spicy); 1 tsp olive oil (for cooking meats); 0.25 tsp salt (for seasoning meats); 0.125 tsp black pepper; 0.5 cup mushrooms (white or cremini, sliced); 0.25 cup green bell pepper (seeded and thinly sliced); 0.25 cup red onion (thinly sliced); 1 tsp dried basil or fresh torn basil; 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Method

Dough & Base

Preheat and prepare dough

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet on the middle rack for at least 30 minutes. If using a pizza peel, dust it lightly with flour. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 10–11 inch round (piccolo size). Transfer the shaped dough to a piece of parchment paper or a floured peel.

Brush the outer 1/2 inch of the dough lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to encourage browning of the crust.

Sauce

Combine 1 cup marinara, 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tsp dried oregano in a small bowl and stir. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Spread an even layer (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup) of the sauce over the dough, leaving the oiled edge exposed.

Meats

Cook ground meats

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add 0.25 lb ground beef and 0.25 lb bulk Italian sausage, breaking up with a spoon. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Cook until no longer pink and just browned, about 4–6 minutes. Drain any excess fat on paper towels. Let cool slightly before adding to pizza to avoid excess grease.

Distribute cooked ground beef and sausage evenly across the sauce layer. Reserve pepperoni slices to layer on top of cheese and other toppings as desired.

Cheese

Evenly sprinkle 2 cups shredded mozzarella over the sauced and meat-topped dough, covering the surface but leaving the rim exposed. If using, sprinkle 2 tablespoons grated parmesan over the mozzarella for added flavor.

Vegetables & Toppings

Scatter 0.5 cup sliced mushrooms, 0.25 cup thinly sliced green pepper and 0.25 cup thinly sliced red onion evenly over the cheese. Arrange about 40 pepperoni slices on top of the vegetables and cheese so they crisp and release flavor while baking.

Baking & Finishing

Slide the pizza (on parchment) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and starting to brown, 8–12 minutes depending on oven and stone. Rotate halfway through for even baking.

Remove pizza from oven and let rest 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle 1 tsp dried basil or scatter fresh torn basil leaves and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper if using. Slice into 6–8 small (piccolo) slices and serve hot.