Dough Balls with Garlic Herb Butter

For many, classic dough balls are a childhood favourite – and for good reason! Recreate the magic at home in your Ooni pizza oven. Served with a herby garlic butter dip, small and big hands alike can enjoy this simple but delicious dough balls recipe.

Equipment
Cast Iron Skillet Pan
Small terracotta ramekin
Pastry brush

Ingredients
500g (17.6oz) classic pizza dough
60g (2.1oz) soft butter
Handful parsley, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
Olive oil, for greasing

Method
Prepare your pizza dough ahead of time. Our guide to making the perfect Classic Pizza Dough covers everything you need to know.

Lightly grease your Cast Iron Skillet Pan with olive oil. Divide your dough into roughly 18-20 portions and use your hands to shape each portion into a small ball. Use the friction between the edge of your hands to pull and smooth the balls from the bottom.

Place your terracotta ramekin dish in the centre of the skillet, then add your dough balls in a circular pattern round the ramekin and round the edges of the pan. Don’t worry If there are small gaps between the balls, they will expand in the heat of the oven.

Once your dough balls are nestled in, cover the skillet with a tea cloth and leave to rest at room temp for 30 minutes.

Fire up your Ooni pizza oven. Aim for 500˚C (952˚F) on the stone baking board inside. You can check the temperature inside your Ooni quickly and easily using the Ooni Infrared Thermometer.

In a bowl, combine your soft butter, parsley and crushed garlic and mix together until combined. Set aside.

Turn your hot oven completely off and place the skillet inside. Cook for 3-4 minutes in the residual heat, turning halfway through. This helps cook the bottom of the dough balls first. Once the balls have puffed up and are beginning to smell cooked, turn the oven back onto a low flame. Cook for a further 4-5 minutes, making sure to turn the skillet regularly to ensure an even cook.

When the dough balls are cooked and golden brown, remove the skillet from the oven and place it on a wooden chopping board. Spoon your garlic butter into the hot ramekin, and brush an even layer of the butter mix across the dough balls with your pastry brush.

Serve right away while the butter is still melting – tear away the dough balls and dip them into the warmed, garlicky herb butter. Be quick to grab yours, they won’t last long!