Description
Tearin’ Up My Heart Pizza Twists is a fun and festive heart-shaped pizza twist recipe perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion. Made from homemade bread dough layered with pesto, pizza sauce, and a blend of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, these pizza twists are individually hand-twisted for a beautiful presentation. Baked until golden and crispy, these twists offer a delicious combination of savory flavors wrapped in a soft, chewy dough.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (100-110°F)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine pink Himalayan sea salt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups bread flour
Toppings Ingredients
- 2 tbsp pesto
- 3 tbsp pizza sauce
- 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
Finishing Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, combine warm water, instant yeast, sugar, salt, and olive oil. Add 2 cups of bread flour and mix until mostly incorporated. Gradually add remaining flour one cup at a time until dough forms and pulls away from bowl sides.
- Knead the Dough: Knead the dough on low speed in the mixer for 5 minutes. The dough should be soft and no longer sticky once done.
- First Rise: Remove dough, oil the inside of the mixing bowl with a teaspoon of olive oil, place dough back, rolling to coat with oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Divide Dough: After rising, weigh the dough and divide into two equal sections (about 1 lb each). Keep the unused dough covered to prevent drying.
- Shape the Hearts: On a lightly floured surface, roll one section into a 12×12 inch heart shape using a parchment paper heart template guide. Repeat with second section and cover both hearts to keep moist.
- Add Toppings: Place bottom dough heart on parchment paper. Spread pesto on half and pizza sauce on the other half in a thin, even layer. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly. Add small-sized additional toppings if desired.
- Layer the Dough: Carefully place the second heart dough over the toppings, aligning edges. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter (about 2 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches) as a central guide for slicing.
- Slice the Dough: Using a sharp knife, cut from the bottom of the cookie cutter to the bottom point of the heart. Create evenly spaced slices (about 1 inch wide) from bottom to top on right side, then repeat on left. Total slices should be around 10.
- Twist the Strips: Starting with the bottom right slice, lift and twist it two full turns counter-clockwise. Twist all right side strips in this direction. For the left strips, twist clockwise. Continue twisting upwards on both sides.
- Second Rise: Leave cookie cutter in place. Lightly cover and let the twisted heart dough rise a second time for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F and position rack in center.
- Brush with Oil and Seasoning: After second rise, brush the entire surface with the mixture of olive oil and Italian seasoning using a pastry brush.
- Bake: Using the parchment paper, carefully transfer the pizza twists to a full sheet rimmed baking sheet (25 x 17 1/4 inches) to accommodate expansion. Bake for 28 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Bake until golden brown.
- Serve: Remove from oven, top with grated Parmesan. Serve immediately with extra sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- This recipe features a heart-shaped pizza twist ideal for Valentine’s Day or romantic occasions.
- Using small-sized or chopped toppings helps maintain structure in the twisted strips.
- Use of a heart-shaped cookie cutter as a slicing guide makes creating uniform twists easier, but precision is not critical.
- Allowing both first and second rises ensures a light and airy dough texture.
- The olive oil and Italian seasoning brush enhances the crust’s flavor and color.
- Using parchment paper under the dough aids transferring the shaped pizza to the baking sheet without damage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 317
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
