Meatball Pizza

Ingredients:

• 450 g chilled pizza dough
• Cornmeal, coarsely ground, for dusting
• 2 thick slices of bacon
• 220 g of ground beef
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp. breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• 0.5 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp. grated mozzarella (about 110 gr.)
• 0.5 tbsp. + 2 tbsp. marinara sauce or pizza sauce

Preparation:

1. Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C) for 1 hour. Meanwhile, bring the pizza dough to room temperature. Dust a 15-inch (37 cm) round pizza pan with cornmeal.
2. In a mini food processor, pulse the bacon until finely chopped. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, chopped bacon, Parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Form into 4-cm (1.5-inch) meatballs (about 12); place on a baking sheet and bake until set, about 10 minutes. Then set aside to cool.
3. Stretch the dough to the very edge of the pizza pan, pressing with your fingertips (lightly oil your hands if the dough is sticky). Arrange the meatballs evenly around the edge of the dough. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese in the center, then spread 1/2 cup of sauce over the top. Brush the meatballs with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sauce and top with 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese.
4. Place the pan on the hot stone and bake the pizza until the crust is lightly puffed and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle the pizza with grated Parmesan cheese.