Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut 8 ounces mozzarella cheese into uneven ghost silhouettes and place them in a large clear glass mixing bowl for organizing. Work at room temperature for 20 minutes before assembly. Press small curves into the bottoms with your fingers so the shapes look natural. (I tried making perfect matching ghosts first, they looked less homemade.) The mozzarella pieces should feel soft and slightly flexible. You'll see irregular ghost edges and smooth white surfaces. Miss this shaping window and the cheese becomes harder to form. Keep the pieces uneven because natural shapes melt better. Room temperature cheese for 20 minutes keeps the shapes flexible.

Spread 1 pound pizza dough into a 12-inch round shape and add 1/2 cup tomato sauce in a thin layer. Bake at 425°F for 8 to 10 minutes after adding the sauce and use your fingertips to gently press the dough outward before topping. The crust should look slightly puffed around the edge. You'll smell the tomato sauce warming and see the dough surface becoming firmer. The edges should turn pale golden while the center stays flexible. Skip this short bake and the sauce can make the crust soggy. Par-baking at 425°F for 8 minutes protects the crust structure before toppings are added.

Place 8 mozzarella cheese ghost shapes over the par-baked pizza and add 24 black olive slices for eyes. Work at 375°F for 2 minutes just before final baking and gently press the olive slices into the cheese with your fingertips. Leave natural spacing between ghosts instead of making a pattern. The cheese should stay bright white with visible olive circles. You'll notice the ghosts sitting unevenly across the sauce with small gaps between them. Add too many toppings and the cheese won't keep its shape. Careful placement at this stage keeps the spooky silhouettes visible after melting.

Bake the topped pizza at 425°F for 10 to 12 minutes until the mozzarella ghosts soften and the crust edges become golden. Rotate the tray halfway through using a careful turn motion so the heat reaches uneven spots. The cheese should stretch slightly and the sauce should bubble gently. You'll see browned cheese spots around the edges and hear small sauce bubbles. The crust smells toasted while the ghost faces stay recognizable. Go past 12 minutes and the olive eyes can dry out. (I tested 450°F first, the cheese melted too fast. 425°F keeps the ghosts visible.) Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes so the cheese melts without losing shape.