Braided Pizza Bread

Ingredients
1 can refrigerated pizza dough
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
16 pepperoni slices
1/2 cup olive oil melted
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
egg wash optional
1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped fine
marinara sauce for dipping

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Line a medium baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick baking mat and set aside.
2. On a work surface, stretch out pizza dough into a large rectangle, about 12x14".
3. Cut the dough widthwise into six strips, and add olive oil, Italian seasoning and cheese down the middle of each strip.
4. Using your fingers, bring the edges together, pinching to seal into long tubes.
5. Place three tubes side by side, and then weave together to make a braid, inserting pepperoni slices in between as you go. Pinch at each end to attach.
6. Repeat previous step for the remaining three tubes to make a second loaf.
7. Place braids on prepared baking sheet and brush with optional egg wash.
8. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with optional chopped parsley.
10. Serve and enjoy!