HAM AND CHEESE PIZZA PINWHEELS
What’s hiding in your pizza? Added sugar most likely. That may come as a surprise, but many packaged food manufacturers add sugar to their sauces to both improve flavor and act as a preservative for a longer shelf life. You’ll be surprised to find added sugar in leading brands like Prego Pizza Sauce as well as Classico Pizza Sauce and corn syrup in Contadina Pizza Sauce. It’s easy to make a homemade pizza sauce without sugar, or even use a simple marinara, but if you’re tight on time consider buying one of these sauces that leave out the sugar: Muir Glen Organic Pizza Sauce, 365 Everyday Value Organic Pizza Sauce, or Pomi Tomato Sauce.
These easy pizza pinwheels ditch the sugar and make a fun dinner. You can pick up the fixings at the grocery store, including fresh pizza dough and sauce if you don’t have time to make your own. Try cooling the pinwheels on a rack, wrapping them in foil, and packing in a lunchbox.
HAM AND CHEESE PIZZA PINWHEELS
Serves 4
1 pound fresh pizza dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup homemade tomato sauce or packaged pizza sauce
6 ounces or 1 1/2 cups grated part skim mozzarella cheese
6 1-ounce slices ham
1/2 cup torn kale leaves
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. Sprinkle a work surface with flour and form the dough into a 18×12 inch rectangle.
3. Spread the sauce on the dough, leaving a ½-inch border.
4. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the dough, then evenly layer on the ham slices and the kale leaves.
5. Starting with the wide side of the rectangle, roll the dough away from you into a log like a jelly roll.
6. Brush the roll with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cut the roll in half, then cut each half into 4 equal sections, resulting in 8 pinwheels.
7. Place pinwheels on the greased baking sheet. Lightly press each pinwheel down to slightly flatten. The ham should be peeking out on top of each pinwheel. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
8. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Be careful as the filling will be hot. To pack in a lunchbox, let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before wrapping in foil.
Make Ahead: The pizza roll can be assembled a day ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.
What Kids Can Do: Kids can sprinkle the cheese and layer on the ham.
- 1 pound fresh pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup homemade tomato sauce or packaged pizza sauce
- 6 ounces or 1½ cups grated part skim mozzarella cheese
- 6 1-ounce slices ham
- ½ cup torn kale leaves
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Sprinkle a work surface with flour and form the dough into a 18x12 inch rectangle.
- Spread the sauce on the dough, leaving a ½-inch border.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top of the dough, then evenly layer on the ham slices and the kale leaves.
- Starting with the wide side of the rectangle, roll the dough away from you into a log like a jelly roll.
- Brush the roll with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cut the roll in half, then cut each half into 4 equal sections, resulting in 8 pinwheels.
- Place pinwheels on the greased baking sheet. Lightly press each pinwheel down to slightly flatten. The ham should be peeking out on top of each pinwheel. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Be careful as the filling will be hot. To pack in a lunchbox, let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before wrapping in foil.
