Description
This fun and festive Saucy Spider with Hairy Leg Sticks recipe features pizza dough transformed into a spooky spider and crispy leg-shaped sticks, perfect for a Halloween party or playful snack. Baked to golden perfection and served with warm marinara sauce, it’s an appetizing and creative dish that kids and adults alike will enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
Spider
- 2 balls pizza dough (thawed if frozen)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 oz)
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan (1 oz)
- 1 large pitted black olive
Sauce
- 2 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Shape the Spider: Take one ball of pizza dough and cut it in half. Shape one half into a 5-inch ball to form the spider’s body. From the other half, cut a 1½-inch strip and shape it into a 2½-inch ball for the spider’s head. Then cut the remaining dough into eight strips and roll each into a 6-inch rope to form the spider’s legs.
- Assemble the Spider: Arrange the body, legs, and head on one prepared baking sheet to resemble a spider, gently pressing dough pieces together so they stick. Brush the entire spider with some of the beaten egg. Sprinkle the legs with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. Slice the black olive into four rounds; place two pieces on top of the head to make eyes and two at the bottom to resemble pincers. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown, covering legs with foil if they brown too quickly.
- Prepare the Leg Sticks: While the spider bakes, take the remaining ball of dough and cut it into eight pieces. Roll each piece into a ¾-inch thick rope and cut each rope into varying lengths. Taper one end of each piece and slightly bend the other end to mimic legs. Place these leg sticks on the second baking sheet, brush with the remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup grated Parmesan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Fill and Serve: While the leg sticks bake, warm the marinara sauce. Using a knife, hollow out the spider’s body gently and fill it with the warm marinara sauce. Serve the saucy spider alongside the crispy leg sticks for dipping and snacking.
Notes
- If the spider legs brown too fast during baking, cover them loosely with foil to prevent burning.
- Use fresh pizza dough for best results or thaw frozen dough completely before shaping.
- Olives can be substituted with small pieces of black olives or peppercorns for the eyes and pincers.
- Warm the marinara sauce gently on the stovetop or in the microwave to ensure it stays warm for serving.
- These leg sticks make for fun dipping sticks and can be served with other sauces if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (including spider and leg sticks with marinara)
- Calories: 223
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 260mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
