Pull-Apart Mini Pizza Boats

Tasty and easy to eat cheesy mini pizza boat bites; no pizza cutter or knife needed for this easy and fun pizza treat! Great for parties and get togethers!

What You Will Need:

For the Pizza dough:

1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp)

2 tsp sugar

1 cup warm water

2 to 3 cups whole wheat flour (just all-purpose or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour)

1 tsp salt

½ tsp Italian seasoning

3 tbsp olive oil or any cooking oil

For the Pizza sauce:

6 fresh tomatoes

1 medium onion

2 green chilis/jalapenos

2 cloves garlic

2 cartons tomato puree (2 cups total)

Salt to taste

1 to 2 tsp sugar

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp Italian seasoning

For the Pizza filling:

¼ cup each chopped bell pepper, onions and tomatoes

½ cup finely chopped mushrooms

2 green chilis/jalapenos, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, finely chopped or minced

¼ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp crushed red pepper

Salt to taste

2 tsp oil

¼ to ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese

To Make the Pizza Boats Dough:

In a glass cup or bowl, add yeast and sugar; pour warm water over it and keep aside to prove.

After 5 to 10 minutes, it should have started to prove and bubble up if the yeast is active. If not, discard this mixture and try again.

Take 2 cups of whole wheat flour in a large bowl. Add salt to taste, Italian seasoning and oil.

Pour the proved yeast mixture over this and mix well to form a soft dough.

Keep adding flour until the dough becomes soft, pliable and smooth.Knead for about 5 to 8 minutes.

Transfer to another greased bowl and turn the dough ball to coat with oil evenly.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled; about 2 to 3 hours, depending upon the temperature in the room.

To Make the Pizza Sauce:

Blend tomatoes, onions, garlic and green chilies in a blender jar until smooth and finely pureed.

Transfer this to a large saucepan along with tomato puree, salt, sugar and Italian seasoning. Adjust seasoning, salt and sugar according to taste.

Mix well and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thick, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Keep aside.

To Make the Pizza Boat Filling:

In a saucepan, heat oil. Add finely chopped onions, garlic and green chilies.

Saute on medium high heat until the onions are soft.

Stir in finely chopped mushrooms and sauté again for a few seconds on high.

Then add finely chopped bell pepper and tomatoes, salt to taste and dried oregano along with crushed red chili pepper.

Give it a good mix and cook for a few seconds on high and remove from heat.

Once cool, stir in mozzarella cheese.

Filling is ready.

Now, to Make the Pull-apart Pizza Boats:

Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.Grease a 6 to 8 inch loose-bottomed pan with oil on the bottom and on the sides. Keep ready.

Divide pizza dough into 2.

Roll one into a large round shape and cut into smaller rounds using a round cookie cutter about 3 inches in diameter.

Roll each round from 2 opposite ends until they are a little distance apart from each other.

Join the other 2 opposite ends to form a boat shape. Pinch well. Fill with pizza filling.

Make similar dough boats with the other rounds.

Now, fill each dough boat with the filling until almost to the top.

Arrange these filled pizza boats into the prepared loose-bottomed pan starting from the outer edge in an angled fashion, ending up in the center.

Once the pan is filled with the pizza boats, place in preheated oven.

Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove from oven and brush the tops with melted butter.

Serve cheesy, pull-apart mini pizza boats with mayonnaise/marinara sauce/pizza sauce/ketchup etc. as a dip.

Enjoy these as an evening snack or serve them as show stopper appetizers at parties!!