Cheese Stuffed Garlic Knots!

Knot Your Average Love Story

I love garlic knots. I love them with a passion; I might even love them more than pizza. Hi! I’m Liana, your guest blogger this week.

When I was in high school I worked at a small pizza restaurant and they made the best garlic cheesy bread I have ever had. When I reminisce about the old days, I get hungry and make these garlic knots. They are cheesy, gooey, garlicky, and addictive!

Warning! If you don’t like garlic stop reading now. This is not a recipe for you. 

How To Make Double Garlic Knots

Makes 8 knots

½ cup Olive Oil

¼ cup Grated Parmesan*

4 (or more!) cloves of garlic finely chopped

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning or dried Parsley

1 teaspoon salt

Provolone Cheese

8oz of prepared pizza dough

Instructions:  

*Here is one of the few times I will recommend not using freshly grated cheese. This recipe prefers the store bought type that’s almost powder-like.

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. We used our own Pizzeria Pronto® Outdoor Pizza Oven. Mix all ingredients together. Consistency should be approaching a paste but still runny. Add more Parmesan if needed. Ingredients will settle, so stir the mix well before application. Set aside. 

2. Shape proofed pizza dough into a rectangle. Cut into 8 equal 1oz strips. Don’t stretch them out too far. You want a puffy dough strip no longer than 10 inches. Tie a loose knot in the middle of the strip. 

3. Stuff some provolone cheese right in the middle and make sure it isn’t falling out the bottom. Take one end of the knot and tuck it in the top. Take the other end and tuck it on the bottom. Repeat for each strip.

4. Give your garlic mix a few stirs and then completely drench the raw knots with it. Saturate completely. I mean it. Don’t be shy. This can get messy, so I recommend using a pizza screen with something underneath to catch the dripping olive oil. 

5. Add more of the mix to the top of the knots because more is better. Bake on a cookie sheet or pizza stone for 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt to finish.

Cooking tip: This will make or break the results! You’re looking for slightly undercooked dough. Watch them closely in the oven. The mix on the top will have just begun to brown, but the dough itself is pail and soft vs. browned and crunchy.

Show Your Crust Some Love

If you want to cook them a bit longer - then do so! But they are best when soft and gooey. There are also many ways to tie a garlic knot and they are also delicious without the cheese stuffing, so experiment and play with your food. 

I love this flavor so much that I often add it to the crust of any garlic knot pizzas I’m making at home. The garlic mix is easy to whip up and I just add it to the crust before baking off my pie. It’s an extra treat at the end of a slice (unless you go crust first – don’t hate) and a nice supersize for my dinner guests. Garlic rules in my house!

More Fun Pizza Recipes:

• Pizza With A Twist! 
• How To Make The Perfect Calzone 

We hope these knots get you experimenting with some fun side dishes. We would love to see what you create on Instagram @_pizzacraft  #pizzacraft.