Snowman Pizza

This recipe was inspired by Snowballs. To learn more about the book and to see all our Snowballs activities, click here. 

Although I am a devoted fan of summer sunshine and warm temperatures there is no denying the magic feeling that fills a day when snow starts to fall. My inner five-year old comes out to play, full of childish joy as I repeatedly go to the window to be sure the white fluff is still falling. Yes it means shoveling the drive, messy floors from wet paws, and a muddy yard when the sun comes out again, but there is a certain giddiness and excitement that never fails to envelop me as the world is transformed by falling snow and thoughts start to turn yet again to the age old question of “Do you think there will there be school tomorrow?”

Here's a treat to celebrate those snowy days. Making the pizza crust from scratch is a great project for those days when you are cooped up in the house (but is still easy enough to make any day, trust me). Use the collage illustrations of Snowballs as inspiration for decorating your snowmen! 

 

Snowman Pizza

Crust Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon active dry or instant yeast
• 3/4 cup water, 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit
• 2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Pizza Ingredients

• 2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• sliced baby carrots, spinach leaves, sun-dried tomatoes

To make the crust

(You can also skip this step and use 1 pound store bought pizza dough):

1. Place yeast in a medium bowl. Add water and stir to dissolive yeast. 
2. Add flour and salt to yeast mixture and stir to four a shaggy dough. 
3. Pour out contents of bowl onto a clean work surface. 
4. Knead dough until very smooth, incorporating all the loose flour from the bowl, about 5 minutes. If the dough feels very sticky, add a teaspoon (and up to a few tablespoons) of flour and knead until smooth. 
5. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a flour-sack towl or plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm spot for about 1 1/2 hours until dough has doubled. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

To make the pizzas:

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Divide dough into four pieces, two large and two small. Roll each piece into a circle, approximately 1/4 inch thick, and place on a alarge baking sheet, one large piece for each body and one small piece for each head. Brush each crust lightly with olive oil. 
3. Stir together ricotta and garlic powder, and season to taste with salt and pepper. 
4. Spread ricotta thickly over each crust and top with mozzarella. 
5. Decorate! We used sliced mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, sliced carrots, and leaves of baby spinach to make the features on our snowmen. Feel free to use whatever ingredients you have on hand to decorate your snowmen. 
6. Bake for about 8 minutes, until cheese has browned and is bubbling. 

For step-by-step photos, check out our How to Make a Snowman Pizza Snapguide!