Video: How To Make Stuffed Garlic Balls

Pizza dough is best smothered in garlic butter and stuffed with cheese

Garlic knots may be the best part of picking up a pie at the neighborhood pizza joint. Their fragrant smell wafts throughout the pizzeria making it impossible not to leave without a greasy bag of them resting on top of the pizza box. Often, they don't even make it the whole way home.

These stuffed garlic bombs are reminiscent of the pungent little knots-soft, doughy and drowned in garlic butter, and with the added feature of melted cheese pouring out of the middle when torn open. Showered with Parmesan at the end then dipped into warm marinara sauce, they just might be better than pizza.

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a food processor, combine 7 to 8 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano, 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt until well mixed. Set aside.

On a flat surface, roll out 9 ounces of pizza dough into a 9-by-9-inch square that's a ¼ inch thick. Brush with the garlic-butter mixture and sprinkle with a pinch of red pepper flakes. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 equal-sized squares. Place one marinated mozzarella ball into the middle of each piece of dough. Wrap the mozzarella up in the dough and seal the edges completely. In a well-greased cast-iron pan, fit the balls in so they're touching. Brush each dough ball thoroughly with the garlic-butter mixture and bake until golden brown and puffed up, about 15 minutes.

Garnish with lots of shredded Parmesan and serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

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