Inflatable Pizza

They say don’t play with your food, but we can’t help it with this inflatable pizza! Try it before it floats away!

Inflatable Pizza

Difficulty: Medium • 6 Servings • Total Time: 95 Minutes

Ingredients:

For Pizza Dough

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 envelope instant dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups water (110F, the water should not be uncomfortable or hot to the touch)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

For Marinara Sauce

• 1 can Diced Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• ¼ cup Cream Cheese
• 2 tbsp Dried Oregano
• 2 tbsp Dried Thyme
• 1 tbsp Dried Sage
• 1 tbsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Pepper

For Pizza Assembly

• Pizza Dough (recipe above)
• Marinara Sauce (Recipe Above)
• 1 bag Pepperoni Slices
• ⅓ cup Basil Leaves
• 1 box of Sliced Mozzarella
• 1 saucepot of boiling water
• 1 isi Charger
• 1 thick straw
• Bowl of water and a Pastry Brush
• Large pot with oil for frying

Directions:

1. Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water slowly and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. *If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.
2. Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour. 
3. In a saucepot on medium-high heat, cook the diced tomatoes with all the ingredients except the cream cheese until the tomatoes fall apart when stirring. Drop the heat to medium and using an immersion blender, blend it into a smooth sauce. Add your cream cheese and stir it in until melted evenly.
4. Divide your pizza dough into two batches. Roll and toss the first ball of dough into a nice, thick base. Add your marinara sauce being sure to leave at least an inch of space from the outside. Add your pepperoni, basil and some half your mozzarella slices.
5. Place a spare slice of mozzarella into your saucepot of boiling water for 5-7 minutes. Quickly remove it with a slotted spoon or sieve and as quickly as you can, knead the mozzarella until it is shiny.  Whilst still hot and soft, form a tight bubble with the mozzarella in your hand and place it onto your isi charger, inflating it into a bubble.
6. Add your mozzarella bubbles to your pizza because let’s be honest, isn’t that just cool?
7. Place your straw so that one side is entirely off your pizza base.
8. Brush the uncovered pizza dough with water and then roll out your other batch of pizza dough to be slightly smaller than your base. Place it on top and roll the base upwards to seal the top dough but also to mimic a pizza crust, all the way up to the straw. 
9. Hold the straw tightly and blow into it to inflate the dough SLOWLY! Going fast could tear the gluten!
10. Once it is super nice and poofy, quickly remove the straw and pinch the hole closed, rolling it up to match the rest of the crust.
11. In a large pot of hot oil, gently place your pizza in. *If you’re having trouble moving your pizza, slide a sheet of parchment paper underneath it to help.* Using a ladle, gently pour some hot oil on top of your pizza bubble. This cooks the dough and helps it crisp up and maintain it’s shape.
12. Remove safely from the oil and slice open a fragrant, cool looking pizza!