Carnivore Recipe

Name: The Brass Tap - Highland Villages CARNIVORE Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 unit pizza dough (store-bought or homemade, ~12-14" ball); 2 tbs all-purpose flour (for dusting); 1 tbs olive oil (for crust edge and pan); 1 cup vine-ripened tomato sauce (or good quality pizza/chunky marinara); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder; 10 oz whole milk mozzarella, shredded or thinly sliced; 24 slices pepperoni (regular slices for making cups); 8 oz Italian sausage (mild or hot), casing removed, cooked and crumbled; 4 oz smoked ham, chopped; 4 oz smoked bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped; 1 tsp Italian herb blend (dried basil, oregano, thyme); 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional); 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Inspired by The Brass Tap - Highland Village

Time1h 10m

Serves3

Vine-ripened tomato sauce, whole milk mozzarella, crispy pepperoni cups, Italian sausage, chopped smoked ham, smoked bacon & topped with Italian herbs

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Ingredients

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Dough & Assembly

1 unit pizza dough (store-bought or homemade, ~12-14" ball)

2 tbs all-purpose flour (for dusting)

1 tbs olive oil (for crust edge and pan)

Sauce & Cheese

1 cup vine-ripened tomato sauce (or good quality pizza/chunky marinara)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp Dried oregano

1 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder

10 oz whole milk mozzarella, shredded or thinly sliced

Meats

24 slices pepperoni (regular slices for making cups)

8 oz Italian sausage (mild or hot), casing removed, cooked and crumbled

4 oz smoked ham, chopped

4 oz smoked bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped

Finishing & Herbs

1 tsp Italian herb blend (dried basil, oregano, thyme)

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

Prep pepperoni cups & meats

Make pepperoni cups

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange pepperoni slices in a muffin tin or on a parchment-lined sheet with a small oven-safe spoon to form cups. Bake 8–10 minutes until edges curl and center forms a cup and slices are crisping but not burnt. Remove and drain on paper towel.

Cook and prepare other meats

While pepperoni cooks, cook bacon until crisp (pan or oven), drain on paper towel, then chop into small pieces. In a skillet over medium heat, brown Italian sausage (removed from casing) until cooked through, breaking into small crumbles, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat and let cool slightly. Chop smoked ham into small dice.

Prepare dough, sauce & cheese

Preheat oven to highest setting (500–550°F / 260–290°C) with a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside for at least 30 minutes. If using a lower-temp oven, preheat to 475°F (245°C) and allow a long preheat for best crust.

On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 12–14 inch circle (or desired size). Transfer to a pizza peel or parchment paper dusted with flour or semolina. Brush the outer 1/2-inch of the rim with 1 tablespoon olive oil to encourage browning.

Season the tomato sauce: stir salt, dried oregano and garlic powder into the vine-ripened tomato sauce. Taste and adjust: sauce should be bright and slightly seasoned. Spread an even layer (about 3/4–1 cup) of sauce over the dough, leaving the oiled rim exposed.

Distribute the whole milk mozzarella evenly over the sauced dough, leaving some spaces where meat will sit so cheese melts into crevices.

Assemble pizza with meats

Scatter cooked Italian sausage crumbles evenly over the cheese.

Distribute chopped smoked ham and chopped bacon across the pizza so each slice will have a mix of meats.

Place the crisped pepperoni cups on top, slightly pressing them into the cheese so they adhere but keep their cup shape. Reserve a few cups for garnish if desired.

Bake & finish

Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet (or place the parchment with pizza on sheet). Bake for 8–12 minutes at 500–550°F, or 10–14 minutes at 475°F, until the crust is golden and blistered and cheese is bubbling and lightly browned. Rotate halfway if your oven has hot spots.

Remove pizza from oven and let rest 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle Italian herb blend evenly over the hot pizza, add crushed red pepper flakes if using, and finish with a few turns of freshly ground black pepper.

Slice and serve hot. Enjoy immediately so pepperoni cups remain crisp and cheese is melty.