Cast Iron Pepperoni Garlic Knots
Welcome to day 4 of my 12 Days of Super Bowl Recipes. Today, I am bringing you a recipe I made for the Super Bowl in 2019. Enter, Cast Iron Pepperoni Garlic Knots. These knots are as good as they sound. Everyone’s favorite appetizer at a pizza place, is amped up with crispy pepperoni. What I love about these garlic knots is the pepperoni makes them extra flavorful. Back when I made them, my friends and I could not stop eating them. They were so addicting and perfect for a group.
the details of the garlic knots
What I love about these garlic knots is they are super easy to make. I like to use store-bought pizza dough, as I hate waiting for things to rise. That being said you can make your own pizza dough! If you want to keep things quick though, then store-bought is where it’s at.
As for the garlic “sauce,” I like to keep things simple. I use butter, garlic, olive oil, pepperoni, red pepper flakes, and oregano. You may ask why I use both butter and olive oil, and I don’t know the science, but I do know that using both fats makes the best garlic bread, one is just not enough. As for the spices, I like to use red pepper flakes as their heat pairs well with the pepperoni. I also use oregano because I like the flavor of it more than parsley for a garlic knot. In terms of the pepperoni, I like to keep it on the bigger side, opposed to chopping it up. I find that the texture is better, and it allows the pepperoni to get crispy when baked!
While these pepperoni garlic knots are delicious on their own, I highly recommend serving them with warm pizza sauce. The two pair so well together that your taste buds will go wild. If you don’t like pizza sauce you could also try making a spicy vodka sauce to pair with the pepperoni garlic knots. I know I’ll be trying that next time I make them.
If you don’t like pepperoni, you can simply take it off and make some delicious, plain garlic knots. You could also make a cheesier garlic knot, but topping the knots off with mozzarella in the final minutes of baking.
Overall, if you make this recipe, please leave a comment below, tag me on Instagram, pin it, or go like my page/share on Facebook! Be sure to sign up for my newsletter, 4 Secret Recipes of the Month, for other, never before seen, recipes!
Cast Iron Pepperoni Garlic Knots
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 oz pepperoni cut into chunks
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 7 garlic cloves, minced give or take 1, depending on how much garlic you like
- 1.5 tbsp oregano
- 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
- 16 oz store-bought pizza dough
- flour
- 1/4 c shredded parmesan
- your favorite pizza sauce
Instructions
- In a 10 inch skillet, heat butter and olive oil. Add the pepperoni and stir until it starts to crisp. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic, and oregano. Stir until fragrant.
- In a medium bowl, transfer the mixture and add 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.
- On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough and roll into a 6 x 3 rectangle. Cut the dough into 8-10 strips. Do the same with the other half.
- Tie each strip into a knot and toss in the pepperoni mixture. Once each knot is coated, put them in the skillet. Follow your dough's instructions if it calls for rest/rising. If not continue to step 5.
- Preheat the oven to 425. Sprinkle the shredded parmesan over the garlic knots and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once baked, drizzle some olive oil over the knots and serve immediately with your favorite sauce. Enjoy!
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