.Slithering Snake Pizza.

This recipe is one that adults and kids both enjoy and very easy to personalize to your own tastes. It will serve about 10-12 people as an appetizer.


.Ingredients.
2 (8 oz.) cans crescent rolls
flour, for dusting
1/2 C. prepared pizza sauce
10 oz. thinly sliced pepperoni
10 oz. thinly sliced ham, chopped
10 oz. Italian sausage, cooked, crumbled, and drained
12 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 C. fine, freshly grated Parmesan cheese

(.Decorating.)
Liquid food coloring, your choice of colors
4 egg yolks, divided
2 peppercorns
2 pimento-stuffed green olives
1 roasted red pepper


.Instructions.
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. On a lightly floured surface, spread out your two batches of crescent dough end-to-end lenghtwise. Be careful not to let the sections separate.

3. Pinch all the seams together until you get one block of dough.

4. With a flour-brushed rolling pin, roll your crescent dough into a large, long rectangle. Don't roll it too thin, or it will split.

5. Spoon pizza sauce on top of dough, leaving an inch of bare dough on all four edges.

6. Sprinkle meats on top of sauce, followed by any other optional toppings.

7. Sprinkle with cheeses.

8. Fold one side of the dough lenghtwise over the topping, up to the half-point of the rectangle.

9. Fold the other side over to meet it. Pinch and press the dough together on all sides to seal.

10. With a pastry brush, brush the beaten yolk of one egg onto the top of the dough.

11. Fold your filled dough in half lengthwise. The egg yolk should help it stick. A seam should be created lengthwise along the dough. Pinch this seam together to fully seal and make a sort of cylinder. Be sure all seams are well closed. Any open seams will open further during baking.

12. Gently manipulate ends into a snake shape-- one end should be tapered for a tail, and the other shaped for the head. Don't curve it into a snake yet. You'll do that right before baking.


.Decorating Instructions.
1. Beat each of your remaining three egg yolks in a separate bowl.

2. Add the food coloring of your choice to each bowl to make three separate "paints."

3. With a pastry brush or a food-safe paintbrush, decorate your snake as desired.

4. Transfer painted snake to a foiled-lined, greased baking sheet.

5. Gently shape as desired, into an "S" or other snakey shape.

6. Stick two peppercorns into the front of the snout for nostrils.

7. Slice your roasted red pepper into a forked tongue. Insert into front of head.

8. Bake your snake about 20 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

9. Remove from oven. Attach olive "eyes" to the top of the head using toothpicks. Pimento centers should face forward.


.Tips.
* It is probably a good idea to buy an extra can of crescent rolls if this is your first time making this recipe. Just in case you need to patch your dough in places, any openings in the snake will split and leak during cooking.
* Use whatever toppings you usually like on your pizza, no need to stick exactly to the recipe!
* You can also make an adult version with mushrooms and peppers and a kiddie version with simple things like just pepperoni and cheese.
* Be sure to drain your ingredients well so that you don't come out with a soggy snake! =)


(Source: Divine Dinner Party)


Enjoy!