A simple, yet robust, homemade pizza sauce makes these charming pizzas truly special. To achieve the look pictured, you’ll need heart-shaped cutters in three different sizes. You can also fully customize this snack by adding your favorite toppings, but just make sure they are trimmed to fit on the miniature pizza crusts. Pictured with our Pretzel for Your Heart and “Heart-tea” Grilled Cheese & Prosciutto Sandwiches.
A Little Pizza My Heart
Serves: 30
Ingredients
- 1 (10.2-ounce) package thin pizza crusts (6 crusts)*
- 30 slices pepperoni
- Pizza Sauce (recipe follows)
- 2 cups shredded part-skim low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided
Instructions
- Position oven rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 375°. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter, cut 30 hearts from pizza crusts. Place pizza crusts 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Using a 3⁄4-inch heart-shaped cutter, cut 90 hearts from pepperoni.
- Center a 2 1⁄2-inch heart-shaped cutter on a pizza crust heart shape, but do not press down. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon Pizza Sauce into center of cutter on crust, and spread evenly to create a heart shape. Sprinkle approximately 1 tablespoon cheese onto sauce and top with 3 pepperoni hearts. Carefully remove cutter. Repeat with remaining pizza crust heart shapes and remaining ingredients.
- Bake pizzas until cheese melts, approximately 5 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a spatula, remove from baking sheets. Serve warm.
Notes
*We used Flat Out Rustic White Thin Pizza Crusts.
Pizza Sauce
Serves: approximately 1 cup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1⁄4 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 1⁄2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1⁄3 cups canned whole tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, salt, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces to 1 cup, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer sauce to the container of a blender or the bowl of a mini food processor. Blend until smooth. Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container, refrigerate, and use within 3 days.
