Miniature Pizza Bites
The easiest way to make an elevated appetizer that everyone will love. #scoutshonor
Whenever I’m in Italy, which is usually 2-3 times a year, either planning or hosting one of our Female Foodie Tours, I try to learn how to make at least one new recipe.
Not only do I enjoy bringing these recipes to life in my own home, but I’ve loved sharing them with our Female Foodie community online.
Some of our most popular recipes like the chocolate mousse, easy bruschetta, lasagna bolognese, and even our recent viral Italian cheesecake are all thanks to things I’ve tried either at a restaurant or during one of our private group dinners in Italy.
Today’s recipe is inspired by a bite I had in Florence this spring.
Since we had four Female Foodie tours without a break (back to back to back to back!), I decided to bring my entire family along for the ride. While I was out hosting tours, my awesome husband was holding down the fort with our three kids. And when our guests were off enjoying free time or doing things on their own, I was usually catching up with my family and giving Cody a little bit of a break.
On one of those mornings in Florence, I took my kids to a nearby cafe close to where we were staying. We got hot chocolate (the hot chocolate in Italy is the BEST), and tried lots of their little pastries that were on display. Some were better than others, but one that stood out to me was a little miniature pizza-like pastry, clearly made with puff pastry, and topped with the perfect smidgen of tomatoes, cheese, and oregano.
It was perfect.
And crazy enough, after just a bite or two, I knew I’d be trying to recreate them myself at home. Now, almost nine months later, I can confirm that these miniature pizza bites are easy to make, perfect for any kind of social gathering or holiday party, and a total crowd-pleaser.
What The Puff Pastry?
If you’ve never worked with puff pastry, then do. not. panic. It’s one of the greatest shortcut “ingredients” ever, and by following a few best practices you’ll be on your way to success:
Make sure your oven is nice and hot before baking. If your oven isn’t to temperature (400°F for this recipe), your puff pastry may not rise and puff correctly.
Don’t let the dough sit out longer than about 40-45 minutes—this will cause the layers of the pastry to meld together. If you stick to the timeline outlined in this recipe, you should have no problems.
NEVER open your oven door during the cooking process. This will allow the heat and steam to escape the oven, and your pastry won’t rise and puff.
1 (2-inch) biscuit or cookie cutter (I have this biscuit cutter set and use it all the time, plus it includes that 2-inch shape)
2 puff pastry sheets, or 1.1 lbs puff pastry*, frozen