Recipe: Meatball-Filled Double-Crust Pizza (using ricotta)

MEATBALL-FILLED DOUBLE-CRUST PIZZA

2 pounds frozen pizza dough, thawed
2/3 cup prepared pizza sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided use
1 (12 oz) package fully cooked Italian-style turkey meatballs, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup turkey pepperoni (2 ounces)

Place oven rack in lowest position. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat 12-inch pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray.

On well-floured surface, and with a floured rolling pin, roll out half of the pizza dough into 12-inch round, rolling from the center of the dough to the edge, and turning the dough frequently to keep dough even. Carefully lift the dough into prepared pizza pan, gently fitting it in pan.

Spoon the pizza sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around the edge. Sprinkle evenly with oregano and 1 cup of the cheese blend, up to the 1/2-inch border. Scatter the sliced meatballs over cheese. Spoon on the ricotta cheese, dolloping evenly up to the border. Arrange the sliced turkey pepperoni over the ricotta.

Roll out the other pound of pizza dough as in Step 1 into a 12-inch round. Gently lift and fit over the filling on the pizza. Line up the edge with the bottom crust, gently pulling if necessary. Crimp the top edge with lower edges as you would with a pie. Cut slits in the top for steam vents.

Bake the pizza on the bottom rack in the 450 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and the filling is heated through. Let the pizza cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 (12-inch) pizza, 8 servings
Source: Family Circle magazine, April 15, 2003