1 pound pizza dough
Cornmeal, for sprinkling
Olive oil, for brushing
1 cup marinara sauce, divided
1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup roughly chopped basil
Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
About 12 slices large pepperoni
Kosher salt
You can use anything you want to fill these pizza wheels, just take care not to overfill them so they will be easy to roll up.
My favorite pizza sauce isn’t on the site, but it’s super easy to make. Heat a bit of olive oil in a small pot over medium high heat. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and one can of crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper to taste, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10-12 minutes.
Heat the oven to 400ºF, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Lightly sprinkle with cornmeal.
Sprinkle more cornmeal on a large sheet of parchment or cutting board. Roll the pizza dough into a 9×12 inch rectangle, with the long side closest to you. Brush with olive oil. Spread about ⅓ cup of marinara over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Reserve the remaining marinara sauce for serving with the pizza wheels.
Sprinkle all of the mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan over the sauce, then sprinkle on the basil and red pepper flakes, if using. Lay the pepperoni across the dough. Beginning at the end closest to you, carefully roll up the dough just as you would for cinnamon rolls, pushing the fillings back in if they slide out. Once rolled, pinch the seam closed and push the ends toward the center if they’ve become tapered.
If your marinara was warm when you spread it on, I recommend refrigerating the rolled dough for about 10-15 minutes before cutting. That will help the wheels keep their shape.
Using a very sharp knife, slice the roll into 1-inch rounds. Some sauce may leak out a bit, and that’s okay. Carefully transfer each wheel to the prepared baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining rounds. Sprinkle each round a little salt, then top each with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the cheese is melted and is beginning to brown. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes, and serve with the reserved marinara.