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Ingredients
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Dough and Base
Stuffed Crust Filling
Sauce and Toppings (Base Prep only — minimal)
Method
Dough and Base
Prepare workspace and pan
Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet inside if using. Lightly oil a 12" pizza pan or sprinkle with cornmeal. Sprinkle the work surface and a rolling pin lightly with the all-purpose flour.
Shape dough
Take the 12" portion of dough and gently press or roll it into a 14" circle, keeping the center slightly thinner than the edge. Work quickly to keep the dough relaxed; let rest 5 minutes if it resists stretching.
Stuffed Crust Filling
Prepare bacon filling
Make sure bacon is fully cooked and crisp. Chop into small pieces (roughly 1/4" bits). In a small bowl, combine the chopped bacon, softened cream cheese, grated parmesan, and black pepper. Mix until uniformly combined; the mixture should hold together but remain spreadable.
Assemble stuffed crust
Arrange the four mozzarella sticks evenly around the edge of the dough, about 3-4 inches apart, placing them about 1/2" inside the outer edge so they will be enclosed. Spoon the bacon-cream cheese mixture into four equal portions and place a small dollop on top of each mozzarella stick (this helps keep the bacon integrated into the stuffed ring). Working around the circle, fold the outer 1"-1.25" of dough over and under the cheese/bacon pieces, pinching or crimping the seam to seal completely. Make sure there are no gaps where cheese could leak. If the seam feels thin, press and pinch to reinforce or add a thin strip of extra dough to reinforce and reseal.
Finish base oiling
Brush the outer crust lightly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to encourage browning and prevent drying during the initial bake. Transfer the prepared crusted dough to the prepared pan or onto the preheated stone (use a peel or inverted baking sheet if necessary).
Sauce and Toppings (Base Prep only — minimal)
Add sauce and cheese
Spread the pizza sauce over the center of the dough, stopping about 1/2" short of the stuffed crust to avoid forcing sauce into the seam. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauced area. Lightly dust the exposed crust edge (outside the seam) with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle dried oregano and optional red pepper flakes over the cheese.
Final checks before baking
Rotate the pizza on the peel or pan to ensure it's centered and the crust is sealed. Give the bottom a gentle lift to confirm it won't stick. If using a very hot stone, bake immediately to preserve the crust's shape and prevent the cheese from melting out prematurely.