Monster-Face Outdoor Pizza

Written by Steve Smith, creator of The Pellet Man

A smoky Halloween pizza transformed into a monster using pepperoni eyes, olive pupils, pepper eyebrows and pointed mozzarella teeth. Let everyone design their own frightening face before it goes into the outdoor pizza oven.

Servings 2-3

MONSTER-FACE OUTDOOR PIZZA

Makes: One 12-inch pizza

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: Approximately 3–7 minutes
Recommended pellets: The Pellet Man Oak Cooking Pellets
Suitable for: Woodfire Outdoor Oven, outdoor pizza oven or FlexFlame with a pizza stone
Cooking location: Outdoors only

Ingredients

• 250g pizza dough, brought to room temperature
• Fine semolina or flour, for stretching
• 80g pizza sauce
• 125g mozzarella, well drained and torn
• 6 slices pepperoni
• ½ green pepper
• ½ red pepper
• 4 black olives
• 2 thin slices red onion
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• A pinch of dried oregano

Build the monster

• Eyes: Pepperoni slices with black olive pupils
• Eyebrows: Thin strips of green pepper
• Nose: A small triangle of red pepper
• Mouth: A curved strip of red pepper
• Teeth: Small pointed pieces of mozzarella
• Scars or hair: Thin pieces of red onion

Method

1. Prepare the toppings
   Slice the peppers, olives and onion before stretching the dough. Keep the pieces fairly thin so they cook quickly.
2. Heat the outdoor oven
   Place the pizza stone inside and preheat the appliance to approximately 300–350°C, following the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Add the smoke
   Fill the smoke box with The Pellet Man Oak Cooking Pellets and start the smoking cycle according to your appliance instructions.
4. Stretch the dough
   Lightly dust the work surface and pizza peel with semolina or flour. Stretch the dough into an approximately 12-inch round, leaving a slightly raised crust.
5. Add the base toppings
   Spread the pizza sauce across the dough, leaving the crust uncovered. Add the torn mozzarella evenly, reserving a few pointed pieces for the teeth.
6. Create the monster face
   Arrange the pepperoni and olives into eyes. Add pepper eyebrows, a red pepper nose and mouth, mozzarella teeth and red onion hair or scars.
7. Cook the pizza
   Slide the pizza onto the fully heated stone. Cook for approximately 3–7 minutes, turning when required, until the crust has risen and browned and the cheese is bubbling.
8. Finish and serve
   Drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with oregano and serve immediately.

Pellet pairing

Oak Cooking Pellets add a balanced wood-fired flavour that works with the tomato, mozzarella and pepperoni without overwhelming the pizza. Link To Oak Pellets

For a slightly sweeter smoke, try The Pellet Man Cherry Cooking Pellets. Link To Cherry Pellets

The Pellet Man's tip

Drain the mozzarella thoroughly and avoid using too much sauce. A lightly topped pizza moves more easily from the peel and produces a crisper base.

Ultimate Pellet Guide

Cooking Times & Temperatures are a Guide ONLY.

Outdoor pizza ovens, Woodfire appliances and the FlexFlame must only be operated outdoors, following the manufacturer's safety instructions.

More Ninja Woodfire Recipes

Looking for more outdoor cooking inspiration? Explore more Ninja Woodfire recipes from The Pellet Man, including BBQ favourites, meat, chicken, kebabs, pizza and more.