I have long touted the benefits of keeping a ball of fresh pizza dough in one’s refrigerator at all times.



It just has so many uses beyond the obvious pizza crust. You can go the simple route and use a ready-made pizza dough like Pillsbury® Classic Pizza Crust, but it’s incredibly easy (and fun!) to make your own.



One such recipe is the Ridiculously Easy Pizza Dough (see isn’t that easy?). It’s just a few ingredients, a little bit of kneading, let it rise and – you’ve got dough!



But the real secret behind pizza dough is that it can be used for so many things beyond pizza. If you’re in a pinch for a quick appetizer or morning brunch, these ideas could be the ace in your pocket that you’re looking for.



Cinnamon Rolls



Roll dough out into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Brush with ½ cup melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tsp cinnamon mixed with ½ cup white sugar. Roll up tightly to form an 8-inch cylinder. Cut into 1-inch slices and bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes. To make a quick glaze, combine 1/4 cup melted butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and drizzle over hot cinnamon rolls.



Flatbread



Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll each piece out into a 6” round. Sprinkle it lightly with sea salt (add garlic and fresh parsley if feeling fancy), and fry each round in 1 tsp of olive oil on both sides until it is bubbly and browned in spots. It can be served like naan with Indian food or as a delicious accompaniment to soups, or as the bread for a gyro. Also delicious sliced into wedges and served with hummus or topped with dressed baby spinach and goat cheese and folded over, like a taco.



Homemade Tortillas



While not a strictly traditional tortilla recipe, thinly rolled and lightly fried bits of pizza dough double very tastily as flour tortillas. Divide the dough into 8 balls, as with the flatbread, but roll each round into an 8” circle and fry on both sides in 1 tsp olive oil. For a quick snack or appetizer, use Old El Paso® Refried Beans and grated Monterey Jack cheese to make quesadillas.



Parmesan Breadsticks



These are a great way to make a simple salad seem like a special dinner. Simply roll pieces of pizza dough into 8 6” ropes and twist. Sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese and sea salt and bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes until the bottoms are browned and the cheese is melted and brown in spots. Serve with a leafy green salad and a side of Muir Glen® Cabernet Marinara Pasta Sauce for dipping, and dinner is served!



Cinnamon-Sugar Donuts



Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape each piece into a 6” rope, as with the breadsticks. Pinch the two ends together to form a circular donut. Heat 2” vegetable or canola oil in a deep frying pan until oil begins to bubble and fry the dough circles, working in small batches for 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden-brown. Using tongs or a metal slotted spoon, transfer the fried donuts immediately into a bowl of 1 cup white sugar mixed with 2 tsp cinnamon and coat completely.