Pizza
Recipe: Pizza
From: Cel's mom
Serves: 2 per pizza
Pizza Crust
3/4 c. water, lukewarm
1/2 tsp. dry yeast
1/4 tsp. salt
1-3/4 - 2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil (optional)
Soften the yeast in lukewarm water. Add salt and stir in flour. Knead to make a smooth, elastic dough, 3-5 min. Put in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until double, about 1-1/2 - 2 hrs. Roll out with rolling pin (it's elastic and hard to roll) on lightly floured board (not a cloth) - roll to about 12 inches across or a bit more, it should be quite thin. Bake at 425° after topping as desired (at least 12 min., but exact time depends on how much topping you have on).
Notes:
This is enough for 1 medium pizza, dinner for 2 without leftovers. It doubles or triples very easily. See the pizza recipe for possible ways to top.
Adding a bit of olive oil makes the dough a touch less elastic and easier to handle. I don't usually add it but I do use olive oil to grease the bowl, so I get a smidgen of that flavor.
You can substitute whole wheat flour for up to 1/2 of the all purpose if you like. You can also make the dough the night before and refrigerate it (covered); it will rise slowly but be about ready to use after 24 hours. If you have time let it come to room temp as it's easier to roll then.
Pizza
1 pizza crust
1 14-1/2 oz. can tomatoes, chopped, drained (the petite diced available now work quite well)
garlic powder
minced dried onion
1 Tbsp. dried basil, divided
1 Tbsp. dried oregano, divided
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded or cut into 1/2-in. cubes, divided
2-4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
meats as desired, precooked if necessary (see note)
veggies as desired (see note)
Heat oven to 425°. (Preheat pizza stone in oven if using.) Roll out crust, and place on lightly greased cookie sheet or (if using stone) on pizza peel sprinkled generously with cornmeal to prevent sticking. Form up edges of crust. Spread with chopped tomatoes, sprinkle on garlic and minced onion to taste and about half of basil and oregano. Cover evenly with 6 oz. mozzarella. Add meats and vegetables as desired. Sprinkle with remaining basil and oregano, then rest of mozzarella and grated Parmesan. Bake until cheese is melted and is beginning to brown over entire pizza, between 12-20 min. depending on size and amount of toppings.
Use peel to remove pizza from stone, or slide off cookie sheet onto large (wooden if possible) cutting board. Cut into 8 pieces.
Notes:
This pizza is fine left out overnight, covered; I've never known anyone to get sick off of it that way, although if keeping for more than a day you'd want to refrigerate it, or if you used something like shrimp.
Sausage, ground beef, or chicken should be precooked. If you use fresh onion, you might want to precook that, as thicker rings may not fully cook. I typically put on pepperoni, mushrooms, bell pepper, red onion, artichoke hearts, and olives. I have also made bbq chicken pizza, using about 1 cup barbecue sauce instead of the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and herbs, using cooked chicken and red onions, and sharp cheddar as the cheese. Very tasty, but completely different.
My mother learned this recipe (which I'm estimating here; I don't have it written down myself) from a friend of hers who spent her junior year of college in Italy, so supposedly it's reasonably authentic, though I suspect it's been somewhat Americanized. When I was a kid Mom still drizzled the top of the pizza with olive oil before baking it; neither she nor I does that anymore!
The herb amounts are definitely estimates. Use your judgment. Double or triple quantities if using fresh herbs. I like the way the tomatoes+herbs taste better than a typical pizza sauce; it's a much fresher taste.
I always make my own crust, because really, it's easy. But of course it's possible to buy a premade crust of some ilk and use that instead.
From: Cel's mom
Serves: 2 per pizza
Pizza Crust
3/4 c. water, lukewarm
1/2 tsp. dry yeast
1/4 tsp. salt
1-3/4 - 2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil (optional)
Soften the yeast in lukewarm water. Add salt and stir in flour. Knead to make a smooth, elastic dough, 3-5 min. Put in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until double, about 1-1/2 - 2 hrs. Roll out with rolling pin (it's elastic and hard to roll) on lightly floured board (not a cloth) - roll to about 12 inches across or a bit more, it should be quite thin. Bake at 425° after topping as desired (at least 12 min., but exact time depends on how much topping you have on).
Notes:
This is enough for 1 medium pizza, dinner for 2 without leftovers. It doubles or triples very easily. See the pizza recipe for possible ways to top.
Adding a bit of olive oil makes the dough a touch less elastic and easier to handle. I don't usually add it but I do use olive oil to grease the bowl, so I get a smidgen of that flavor.
You can substitute whole wheat flour for up to 1/2 of the all purpose if you like. You can also make the dough the night before and refrigerate it (covered); it will rise slowly but be about ready to use after 24 hours. If you have time let it come to room temp as it's easier to roll then.
Pizza
1 pizza crust
1 14-1/2 oz. can tomatoes, chopped, drained (the petite diced available now work quite well)
garlic powder
minced dried onion
1 Tbsp. dried basil, divided
1 Tbsp. dried oregano, divided
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded or cut into 1/2-in. cubes, divided
2-4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
meats as desired, precooked if necessary (see note)
veggies as desired (see note)
Heat oven to 425°. (Preheat pizza stone in oven if using.) Roll out crust, and place on lightly greased cookie sheet or (if using stone) on pizza peel sprinkled generously with cornmeal to prevent sticking. Form up edges of crust. Spread with chopped tomatoes, sprinkle on garlic and minced onion to taste and about half of basil and oregano. Cover evenly with 6 oz. mozzarella. Add meats and vegetables as desired. Sprinkle with remaining basil and oregano, then rest of mozzarella and grated Parmesan. Bake until cheese is melted and is beginning to brown over entire pizza, between 12-20 min. depending on size and amount of toppings.
Use peel to remove pizza from stone, or slide off cookie sheet onto large (wooden if possible) cutting board. Cut into 8 pieces.
Notes:
This pizza is fine left out overnight, covered; I've never known anyone to get sick off of it that way, although if keeping for more than a day you'd want to refrigerate it, or if you used something like shrimp.
Sausage, ground beef, or chicken should be precooked. If you use fresh onion, you might want to precook that, as thicker rings may not fully cook. I typically put on pepperoni, mushrooms, bell pepper, red onion, artichoke hearts, and olives. I have also made bbq chicken pizza, using about 1 cup barbecue sauce instead of the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and herbs, using cooked chicken and red onions, and sharp cheddar as the cheese. Very tasty, but completely different.
My mother learned this recipe (which I'm estimating here; I don't have it written down myself) from a friend of hers who spent her junior year of college in Italy, so supposedly it's reasonably authentic, though I suspect it's been somewhat Americanized. When I was a kid Mom still drizzled the top of the pizza with olive oil before baking it; neither she nor I does that anymore!
The herb amounts are definitely estimates. Use your judgment. Double or triple quantities if using fresh herbs. I like the way the tomatoes+herbs taste better than a typical pizza sauce; it's a much fresher taste.
I always make my own crust, because really, it's easy. But of course it's possible to buy a premade crust of some ilk and use that instead.