PEPPERONI PIZZA BAGELS WITH HOMEMADE HOT HONEY

Pepperoni Pizza Bagels with Homemade Hot Honey image

Provided by Elena Besser

Time 30m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

5 medium serrano chiles
1 cup honey
One 4-ounce wedge Parmigiano-Reggiano
One 8-ounce ball salted fresh mozzarella cheese
3 large bagels (everything, plain, sesame, poppyseed or onion), halved
Olive oil
1 medium clove garlic
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
One 11-ounce can whole pickled jalapeno peppers
One 6-ounce log pepperoni in natural casing

Steps:

Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler unit, and preheat the broiler.
Using food prep gloves, thinly slice the serrano chiles into rounds. If you don't have gloves, just be very careful to not touch your face when handling.
Combine the honey and sliced serrano chiles in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until the heat is infused into the honey, 15 to 17 minutes.
Cut the wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano into chunks and put them in a mini food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse the cheese until it is finely ground and resembles coarse sand. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Slice the chunk of mozzarella into 1/2-inch rounds, then tear the rounds by hand.
Cut the pepperoni into 1/8-inch thick slices. Cut 3 to 4 of the pickled jalapenos into thin rounds.
Slice the bagels in half and, scoop out the interior using your fingers and put them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the bagel halves with olive oil, then broil until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
Run the garlic clove over the cut-side of the bagels to infuse them with garlicky goodness.
Spoon the tomato sauce onto the bagel halves, top with the mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, jalapeno and pepperoni. Finish with more Parmigiano-Reggiano and broil until bubbly and golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
To serve, drizzle the hot honey over the top of the pizza bagels and enjoy! You did it!