Easy Picnic Food {Portable Pizzas!}

What do you get when you cross cinnamon rolls with pizza?

A craveable, hand-held treat we call “Pepperoni Rolls” or “Portable Pizza”.

I threw these together in 20 min. (plus baking) the other day when I had to bring a snack somewhere on short notice. It reminded me how easy they were, which, in turn, made me realize that it was about time to tell you about them!

For this simple, quick treat you need:

• Pizza dough
• Mozzarella cheese
• Pizza sauce
• Pepperoni
• Basil and oregano
• 1 egg
• Parmesan cheese

My favorite pizza dough recipe is a soaked version that makes the best whole wheat crust you’ve ever experienced. The recipe is included in my cook book. I usually make a double batch and freeze portions to have on hand for easy summer suppers.

The day I made this batch of rolls, though, I didn’t have time to thaw the dough I had in my freezer, so I just whipped together this simple dough…

Quick Pizza Dough

1 c. Hot water
2 T. Honey
1 1/2 T. Yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 T. olive oil
aprox. 3 c. flour (ww or white, or a mix)

Combine hot water, honey, and yeast and let proof for 5 min. Pour into mixing bowl and add salt, oil, and 2 c. flour. Gradually add additional flour till dough forms a rough ball. Knead for a few minutes, then let it rest while you prepare the toppings. (Grate Cheese, find pepperoni in the back of the freezer, chop pepperoni, etc.)

Pepperoni Rolls

To make the Pepperoni rolls, preheat your oven to 350, then roll the dough out to make a giant rectangle. I’m not gonna give you measurements, because the whole goal is that this is quick and easy and loosey goosey and you just throw it together. I roll till the dough is 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

Next, spread a thin coating of sauce over the whole surface. Don’t use as much as you would for pizza, ’cause you don’t want your hand-held treat dripping sauce you your picnicking clothes.

Now, get generous with the cheese. Then sprinkle on some chopped up pepperoni. Then a tsp. or two of dried or fresh basil.

Now your’e ready to roll–slowly, so you can savor the fun of rolling up the big old log of yumminess, start on one long edge, roll up the dough and pinch to seal the outer edges.

Finally, cut into 1 1/2 in. sections and lay the rolls, spiral up, on a greased baking sheet, preferably one with sides (I used a 9×13″ casserole dish). I place rolls about 1/2 in. apart to give them room to expand.

Beat the egg and brush it over the tops of the rolls, then sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.

You can let the rolls rise for a bit, but it totally will work if you’re in a hurry and just need to chuck them in the oven right away. That’s what I did.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 min. until puffed and golden on top.

Warning: These are one of those food items your’e likely to burn your mouth on because they smell so good you’ll be tempted to eat them straight out of the oven. Just wait a few minutes….OK! Go!!!

I have no pictures of this batch of finished rolls because they disappeared so fast. There are pictures of the baked rolls in my book, Real {Fast} Food, which has a bunch of our favorite on-the-go real food choices, as well as breakfasts and lunches and dinners and even desserts–oh, my. Timely inspiration for those of you in the middle of the Summer Menu Doldrums, trying to figure out what to make for dinner when you’re hardly home long enough to make sure the family has clean underwear to wear and glasses to drink out of.

C’mon, I know you know what I mean. I’m not the only one, right?