If you don’t know the site, then stop reading and go check it out. Serious Eats is pretty much the bible of which I’ve studied to perfect my own pizzas and use as a guide on my own pizza journey. As it’s been quite busy of late with my proper work, I haven’t had much time to read. Until the other day when this little gem popped up! So fast forward to the weekend – I had a bit of a headache, from too much Saturday night indulgence and I decided it was the perfect time to make this tasty behemoth. I followed the recipe to the T and it worked an absolute treat.
The only thing I’d change next time is too add a clove or 2 less of garlic than what is required. I get the feeling our super awesome Australian garlic is a bit stronger than the US variety. Anywho – it worked a treat and will be made again in the not too distant future!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 180 grams pepperoni, cut into 5-10mm squares
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 4 medium cloves (Australian or Turkish) garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
- Flour for dusting
- 500grams homemade or store-bought pizza dough (about 2 bases worth of NY Dough)
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Homemade or store-bought pizza sauce for serving
Procedures
1 
Heat butter and oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat until butter melts and foaming subsides. Add pepperoni and cook, stirring, until pepperoni begins to crisp, about 2 minutes. Add pepper flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add parsley and chives and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in Parmesan cheese. Do not wipe out skillet. 2
On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into two even pieces. Working one piece at a time, roll or stretch into an oblong about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. With a bench scraper or knife, cut crosswise into 12 strips. Repeat with other half of dough. 3
Tie each strip into a knot and transfer to bowl with pepperoni/garlic mixture. Toss and fold with your hands until every knot is thoroughly coated in mixture. Transfer the knots to the skillet in a single layer. Drizzle with more olive oil, cover tightly with plastic, and set aside until doubled in size, about 4 hours. Alternatively, refrigerate until doubled in size, 12 to 16 hours. 4
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425°F and adjust oven rack to center position. Unwrap garlic knots. Sprinkle with Romano cheese. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. 5
Remove from oven and immediately brush with more extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle lightly with more Parmesan. Serve right away with warmed sauce on the side.Recipe sourced from Serious Eats.
Thanks to Kenji for kindly sharing this recipe.
