Easy Garlic Knots

On the menu last night for dinner was homemade pizza. Simple enough, I prepared the dough in the afternoon, using Amy Z's recipe (a friend who is very talented and I'm trying to talk her into writing her own blog).  I pulled off a hunk of dough, that I normally split into two small calzones for the freezer. I decided to try garlic knots instead.


When we moved to Oneonta last year, I discovered a pizzeria called Mamma Nina's.  The pizza is New York City style, thin flat slices and very delicious.  They also have an item on the menu called garlic knots.  Apparently, this is popular menu item for central New York.  Jay and I fell in love with these garlic cheesy morsels.  We have tried them from other pizzerias, but Mamma Nina's in my opinion has the recipe down pat.


Moving ahead to my little experiment, I thought how hard can this be? My first job in life was working in an Italian restaurant as a line cook, so I had some skills. For my version of the garlic knots this is how I did it:

• Pinch off a golf ball size of your favorite pizza dough (if you don't make homemade then use a refrigerated brand or ask your local pizzeria if you can purchase a round of dough)
• Then start rolling a snake about 5 inches long (this brings back days of making playdough snakes)
• Tie the dough into a knot and place on an un-greased baking sheet
• Brush the the knot with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, garlic powder and mozzarella cheese
• Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown
• When they come out of the oven brush with melted butter

You can substitute Parmesan cheese for mozzarella and use garlic infused olive oil instead of garlic powder.  Experiment and be creative. We also dip them into marina. YUMMY!!

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