Why it works: Pepper and olive are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 30,263 recipes. Both carry 2,4-decadienal, which smells seaweed. The science ↓
Cupid's Arrow Pizza
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the toppings
Use a knife or cookie cutter to shape the red peppers and pepperoni slices into hearts.
Build the pizza
Then cut one crust into a heart shape, saving the excess crust for later.
Spread a thin layer of olive oil on the heart-shaped crust.
Top with pizza sauce and then cheese.
Arrange the peppers and pepperoni hearts on the pizza.
Form the arrow shape out of pieces of leftover crust or cut it out of a second crust.
Top the arrow with a little olive oil.
Bake
Bake the pizza according to the directions on the pizza crust package.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 5 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Pizza | not in our table | 0 |
| Sauce | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Pepper + olivetop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together30,263 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Olive + cheesetop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,802 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl 2-methylbutyrate (apple, fatty).
-
Pepper + cheesetop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,861 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Sauce + cheesetop 19% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,987 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
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Olive + saucetop 20% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together5,568 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Pizza crust
- Forms the base that holds the toppings and bakes into a crisp, sturdy surface.
- Cheese
- Melts into a stretchy layer that binds the toppings and browns on top.
- Pizza sauce
- Adds moisture and tangy flavour that soaks slightly into the crust.
- Pepperoni
- Releases fat as it heats, adding savoury flavour and slightly crisping at the edges.
- Roasted red peppers
- Add sweetness and moisture, softening slightly in the oven.
- Olive oil
- Adds fat that helps the crust brown and keeps it from soaking up sauce.
The step that matters
Spread the olive oil thinly on the heart crust. Oil forms a barrier between the wet sauce and the dough, so the crust bakes crisp rather than soggy. Too much oil can pool and make the base greasy.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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