Last Minute Pizza Sauce

We make a LOT of homemade pizza around here, for lunch and for supper. I used to swear by a very particular brand of pizza sauce, but we are so spontaneous with our pizza making that it is hard to keep the specific sauce on hand. 

I started experimenting with simple sauce recipes, and there are lot of great ones. I invented this one on a whim because I had some frozen tomato paste scoops that really needed used up, and it has become our favorite.  A friend of Simon's who came over for lunch told him that it was the best homemade pizza he ever had! One batch only makes about a cup, which is just about the right amount for a single batch of this pizza dough. 

*If you end up with more dough or more sauce than you needed, both store nicely in the fridge to be used later on for an after school snack or small weekend meal. Handy when you have a teenager at your house. ;)

Last Minute Pizza Sauce

3 frozen scoops of tomato sauce (or half a can)

1 T. olive oil

3 T. water

1/2 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. dried basil

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. sugar

sprinkle of salt and pepper

Thaw out the paste in the microwave. It should only take 30 seconds to one minute. Add all other ingredients and stir very well. The longer you let the sauce sit, the more flavorful it will become, but don't worry...if you need to use it right away, it's still tasty! Add more water if the sauce seems too thick. Spread on your favorite dough and top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Black Bean Pizza

I am always looking for filling, tasty, meat free pizzas. This recipe is the BOMB! I had to add freshly chopped cilantro, it was just begging for it. I didn't have an avocado, but it was great without it!

Black Bean Pizza

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 c. thawed frozen corn kernels

4 plum tomatoes, chopped into ¼ inch pieces

½ c. chopped scallions

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. chili powder

1 avocado, diced into ¼ inch pieces

½ t. salt

¼ t. black pepper

16 oz pizza dough, regular or whole wheat (I used this recipe, it was perfect!)

1 c. shredded sharp cheddar

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In medium bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cumin, chili powder, avocado, salt and black pepper; set aside.
3. Spread pizza dough out on baking pan or lightly floured surface if using preheated baking stone.
4. Top with black bean mixture, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
   
   
   Source HERE
   
   
   

   

   Make sure to rinse and drain your black beans very well.

   
   

   

   Mix everything up in a bowl

   
   

   

   Gotta get some cilantro ready-this pizza was made for it!

   
   

   

   Pre-Cilantro, and...

   
   

   

   Post-Cilantro! YUM!

   
   

   
   

   

   Leftover slices freeze very well. Just reheat a slice in the oven at 350 for 15 or so minutes when you get a hankering for some filling, delicious black bean pizza!

   
   

Wheat Pizza Dough

I seem to collect pizza dough recipes (just like I collect granola bar and pancake recipes). Here is another really awesome and easy dough. I used it for the first time when I made Black Bean Pizza. So quick and easy, and tasty! It's not as dense as some of my other pizza doughs. I'll be using this one a lot!

Homemade Wheat Pizza Dough
Based on Master Pizza Dough recipe from Aimster aka Amy

Makes 1 (14-inch) thick-crust pizza or 2 (12-inch) thin-crust pizzas.

1 cup whole wheat flour
2-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast *see note below
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup very warm water (120 to 130 F)
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
Cornmeal
In large bowl, combine 1 cup wheat flour, 1 cup AP flour, undissolved yeast, and salt. Stir very warm water and olive oil into dry ingredients. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface10 minutes. Lightly oil 1 (14-inch) or 2 (12-inch) round pizza pan(s). Sprinkle with cornmeal. Shape dough into smooth ball. Divide and roll to fit desired pan(s). Bake in preheated hot oven (450) for about 10-15 minutes.

Amy’s Notes: Honestly, I think this recipe is so easy, I just mix it with a spoon at first and then switch to using my hands. I only knead until it is smooth --probably about 4 or 5 minutes. Test it after a few minutes to see if you can pull a piece of the dough into a thin, tight membrane that you can see light through. If it breaks before you can get it there, knead some more.

*Note: There are several types of yeast available for baking. Make sure you buy Rapid Rise yeast for this...that’s what makes the rising time so short.

Semolina Pizza Dough

I had never heard of semolina flour until I found this recipe online, and since I'm a sucker for trying any kind of pizza dough recipe, I was instantly intrigued. It was a big hit! It was the closest pizza dough we've eaten so far that had a similar texture to frozen pizza. The kids ate it all, without leaving any crusts on their plate, so I took that as a sign that this just may be their favorite.

Note: I do not have a stand mixer, and I did it all by hand. It's a little harder to knead than regular dough, but worth the effort.

Semolina Pizza Dough (Twopeasandtheirpod.com)

2 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
1 cup warm water
Pinch of sugar

1 3/4 cups semolina flour
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Corn meal-for spreading on pizza peel

1. In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, combine yeast and 1 cup warm water. Add a pinch of sugar and let sit for 5 minutes.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add semolina flour, all-purpose flour, and salt. Mix the ingredients until combined.

3. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Next, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix until combined. Switch to the dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes on medium speed.

4. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Form dough into a ball and place in the bowl. Cover pizza dough with a damp towel and set in a warm area to rise. Let the dough rise for 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.

5. After the dough has risen, cut the dough in half. Take one piece of dough and punch it down on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a circle. Place the pizza on a pizza peel or pan that has been generously coated with corn meal. 

6. After topping your pizzas, place one pizza in the oven-directly on the pizza stone, if using one, or on the oven rack. Bake for 10-15 minutes (400-450 degrees) or until pizza crust is golden and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and bake the second pizza.

Sweet Potato and Kale Pizza

Disclaimer: My kids wouldn't touch this! Not even my oldest, who will eat anything (and who I am finding shares many of my tastes). You know what that means? More for mama. Which is fine with me, because this pizza is absolutely fantastic. I was skeptical myself--kale? Sweet potatoes? Trust me, get over the doubt and try it at least once if you like either of those ingredients one bit. I'm going out on a limb and assuming you love red onions...because everybody HAS to love red onions. Right?

I made this on homemade pizza night along with the typical plain cheese pizza for the littles, and the spicy-meat-bonanza pizza my husband and older son crave, so that my family would not run away. But I savored every single bite of this amazing discovery. The rest of the fam has NO idea what they are missing! It reheats well, but the kale will only have a luscious crisp when it's first baked.

I altered the recipe just a tad from this one over at twopeasandtheirpod.com. I only used about a third of the dough recipe (a pizza dough you have to try...it's getting it's own post here on the blog, too). Since I was only using a portion of the dough for a smaller pizza, most of the ingredients needed cut down. Also, I sprinkled dried rosemary on top instead of fresh.

Sweet Potato Kale Pizza with Rosemary & Red Onion

Yield: 1 pizza

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

ingredients:

Your favorite pizza dough-we used this pizza dough recipe
1 large sweet potato, thinly sliced, about 1/4 inch thick
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, for seasoning potato slices and onion
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon, freshly chopped rosemary

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sweet potato slices and red onion slices in a bow and toss with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a large baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft and tender. Make sure you turn them once during the 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the pizza dough.

2. Turn the oven to 500 degrees F or as high as your oven will go. If you have a pizza stone, place the pizza stone in the oven to get hot. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough, using a rolling pin. Roll it out to about 3/8 of an inch. Place the pizza dough on a pizza peel or pan that has been generously coated with corn meal. Lightly brush the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. In a small bowl, toss the kale with balsamic vinegar. Top the pizza dough with mozzarella cheese, sweet potato slices, kale, red onion slices, and fresh rosemary.

3. Place the pizza in the oven-directly on the pizza stone, if using one, or on the oven rack. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until pizza crust is golden and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Slice and serve warm.

Broccoli and Feta (or goat cheese) Pizza

Just. Oh my. I about died when biting into this. I used goat cheese (my new absolute favorite) instead of the feta (though I ADORE feta as well). Yes, I get that it's probably a taste that not everyone is going to go for. But for me, the combination of garlic, broccoli, and goat cheese made my mouth almost explode. Yum. Yum. Yum. My oldest son adored it right along with me!

I used this dough for the pizza. I can't wait to make it again!

Broccoli and Feta Pizza

Ingredients:

Serves 4

– 1 lb. chilled pizza dough
– 1 1/2 cups cooked broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces
– 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
– 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
– 1/2 cup reduced fat feta cheese (crumbled)
– 1 Tbs. garlic, minced
– 1/2 tsp. salt
– 1/2 tsp. black pepper
– 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare pizza stone or pizza pan by brushing a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil onto the stone or pan.

2. Coat dough and hands in the flour so that the dough does not stick to your hands. Roll out the dough until it is approximately 1/2 inch thick.

3.Using a pastry brush, brush the extra virgin olive oil all over the rolled out dough. Brush garlic evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly. Spread cheese evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle broccoli* and feta cheese.

4. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown on the crust and the bottom . Once the top is a light golden brown, I like to slide the pizza off the stone or pan directly onto the oven grate so that the bottom of the pizza can get nice and brown.

5. Remove pizza from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Cut it up, pour yourself a glass of wine, pop in a movie, and you have yourself a perfect Friday night!

*Notes: In order to cook my broccoli, I usually steam it over the stove or in the microwave in a bowl of water. Before you put the broccoli onto your pizza, make sure that it has been drained, otherwise your pizza might be watery. I like to squeeze out the water by putting the broccoli onto a paper towel.

Source: Eat-Drink-Love

Just Enough Wheat Pizza Dough

As you can see--this dough recipe is the best one I've found for actually having ROUND pizza! And it tastes really awesome, too!

Now that we've been having homemade pizza on a pretty regular basis, I'm finding that it's very much a process that can be perfected over time. I've had some mishaps and some ugly pizzas turning out of this kitchen. Not that I seek perfection--but sometimes a nice-looking pizza that tastes great is a great way of feeling satisfied when you've sworn off the aesthetic perfection of processed, store-bought frozen pizzas.

I've made many different doughs and there are things I like about each recipe. Each has its own personality, its important features depending on what I need in a pizza at that time. When I've decided on pizza at the last minute, I use Perfect Pizza Dough, since it can be ready to go into the oven very quickly. If I have more time, I'll make Olive Oil Dough, or Whisk Dough. They need a bit of time to sit around.

I've discovered an awesome new dough recipe that I have a feeling I'm going to use a lot, because I love the flavor and texture. Here's the catch, though--it takes the most time of all. It rises for 12 to 24 hours!!! Wowsers. Definitely need to prepare ahead. However, that's not really so hard...if you make the dough while you are cooking supper one night and are already in the kitchen anyway, then set it aside, about 24 hours later you'll be in the kitchen again for supper and the dough will be ready. That's what I did, and I didn't even have to put the dough in the fridge. It was pillowy, bubbly and perfectly ready after 24 hours, covered, on the counter.

After rising for 24 hours, the dough was very workable. I was able to make nice, round pizzas easily. I didn't prebake the crust at all, but did put them in the oven right after putting on the toppings--a hint from the author of this recipe to avoid soggy crust. This recipe is really delicious and I'm so glad I found it.

Note: I do not have a food processor and I do this all by hand. The dough is amazingly easy to knead. I really didn't have to add any more flour as I kneaded; it has just the perfect amount of dry-to-wet ingredients to keep the hands relatively clean and to make the kneading a fun, relaxing process (I've been known to walk around the kitchen kneading in mid air while doing other important things. This type of multi-tasking can definitely be done with this recipe).

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
from The Homemade Pantry by Alana Chernila

1 1/4 c. warm water
2 t. active dry yeast
1 t. sugar
2 1/3 c. unbleached all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour (for added flavor, sub 1/2 c. with rye flour)
1 t. kosher salt
3 t. olive oil

1. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until there is a bit of foam on the surface of the liquid.

2. If you are using a food processor, combine the flours, salt, and 2 t. of the olive oil in the bowl of the food processor and pulse to combine. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture as fast as the flour will absorb it. Process until the dough forms a ball and clings to the blade, then process for another 30 seconds. If you are working by hand, add the liquid slowly while kneading the dough in the bowl with the other hand, and then when the liquid is incorporated, knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes.

3. Use the remaining teaspoon of oil to grease a medium bowl and piece of plastic wrap large enough to cover the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, cover it with the plastic, and leave in a warm place to rise for at least 12 hours, but up to 24 hours. It will get nice and bubbly.

4. Preheat oven to 475. Divide the dough into desired number of pizzas (I like to make four) and shape, flatten, roll into desired shape and thickness. Top with any number of variations of toppings.

5. Bake pizzas for 10 to 15 minutes.

Watch me make a round pizza for a change!

This dough is SUPER easy to work with. Not sticky at all. It begs to be patted into a perfect circle.

Before adding toppings, it wouldn't hurt to poke some holes into the crust to prevent bubbles from forming while baking.

Carmelized Onion and Zucchini Pizza

The pesto-ricotta base on this pizza is what gives it a WOW factor. And you really can't go wrong with carmelized onions! With these deep flavors combined, the slices of zucchini were there just to add some texture. I couldn't really taste them. Which, if you have a glut of zucchini and aren't really excited about yet another zucchini recipe, this is great because of the fact the taste is a little overpowered. ;)

*note (added 9/2013) I used Greek yogurt in place of the ricotta cheese and the result was awesome! I am much more likely to have plain yogurt on hand rather than ricotta, so that may be my new way of making this amazing pizza.

I think Perfect Pizza Dough is THE dough to use in this pizza!

Zucchini and Carmelized Onion Pizza

(Ladies Home Journal)

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 medium thinly sliced onion and cook, sitting occasionally until deeply carmelized, about 30 minutes; remove from heat.

In a small bowl combine 1/2 c. ricotta with 2 T. prepared pesto and 1/4 c. grated parmesan.

Stretch 1 lb. pizza dough into a large circle. Spread ricotta mixture over the dough and top with 1 thinly sliced zucchini, spreading carmelized onions over the top of everything. Bake at 450 degrees until crust is golden and crisp, about 12 minutes.

Whisk Pizza Dough

Look at our heart shaped pizza...cute! I'd like to say I did it intentionally, but really, I find it impossible to make ROUND pizza, so we get all kinds of shapes and sizes when we have pizza.

Here's yet another delicious option for homemade pizza dough! This one has AWESOME flavor. It has a nice chewy texture. I love my other doughs, too: Perfect Pizza Dough and Olive Dough...but hey, I also love having options. ;) This dough needs a couple of hours to rise before putting it in the fridge, so I make it on the weekend, put it in the fridge after it rises for a couple of hours, and then take it out whatever night I have a Pizza Night planned, up to two weeks later (I've never let it go longer than a week--the flavor gets more 'sour' the longer it sits. I usually use it within 3 days).

While some of the measurements are tricky to cut in half, it's doable--the recipe makes too much for one night. If you want to make it simple and just make the whole recipe, NO problem, just use half the recipe for pizza night, then save the rest for breadsticks on another night. I will be making this dough often! Oh yes, the best part...NO KNEADING required!

Whisk Pizza Dough

2 c. white whole wheat flour

2 1/4 t. rapid-rise yeast

1 T. salt

1 3/4 c. warm water

4 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. olive oil

1 c. warm water

1. In a big bowl combine the white whole wheat flour and yeast. Give it a quick stir to distribute yeast and then add salt and 1 3/4 c. warm water. Stir to dampen flour and then with a whisk or big spoon stir briskly for 1 minute to develop the gluten.

2. Add all-purpose flour, olive oil, and other 1 c. of warm water. Stir mixture until all flour is damp.

3. Cover the bowl with a plate or a piece of waxed paper. Let dough rise for 1-2 hours.

4. Refrigerate dough overnight or for up to 2 weeks.

Source: Wildly Affordable Organic by Linda Watson

Pizza with White Bean Puree & Fresh Tomatoes

I love the way this pizza tastes! My two oldest sons loved it too. It's nice to have a variety on pizza night. It reheats well, even though the crust loses its crisp; I like eating the leftover slices over the next couple days warmed up and folded over like a pita. Another thing I love about this recipe is the simple bean dip recipe it uses. I can get all my kids to eat hummus, but some hummus recipes are decidedly strong in flavor. This one is smooth, creamy, and the sage gives it just the perfect touch. I will file the dip recipe in its own place, since we'll be making it on its own often.

Pizza with White Bean Puree & Fresh Tomatoes

Ingredients

3/4 c. water

1 clove garlic, cut in half

1 15 oz can cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed (or 2 c. precooked beans)

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 t. finely chopped fresh sage or 1/4 t. dried rubbed

1/8 t. salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 pound prepared whole wheat pizza dough (or make your own: I used this)

4 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used the stuff in green can...hey what can I say?)

6 plum tomatoes, sliced

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 t. crushed red pepper

1. Preheat oven to 500. My oven tends to smoke a lot (needs cleaned, no time), so I usually go with 450 when making pizza.

2. Combine water and garlic in saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add beans and return to boil. Drain, reserving 1/4 c. of the cooking liquid. Allow beans to cool for a while, then puree in food processor with olive oil and enough reserved liquid to make a thick, smooth paste. Stir in sage, salt and pepper. (I still have yet to receive a food processor...I use this for almost everything instead).

3. Spread your dough out into your prepared pan , piercing with a fork a few times to prevent air bubbles from forming. The original recipe said to make 2 seperate 12 inch pizzas, but I made one big one in my trusty baking pan. Prebake crust until lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes.

4. Spread the white bean puree over your crust, then sprinkle 2 T. Parmesan over it (if making 2 smaller pizzas, divvy up your ingredients over both). Arrange tomato slices over the top, and sprinkle the green onions, remaining Parmesan, and red pepper flakes on top. Lightly mist with olive oil spray (you could probably skip that...but I do happen to have one of these).

5. Bake pizza until bottom and edges of crust are browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Slice and serve!

Magic Mushroom Pizza

I don't normally follow a 'recipe' for pizza. I mean really-- pizza is supposed to be a creative process, with no rules! However, I've run into quite a few recipes that have intrigued me. I pulled this one out of a Shape Magazine a few months ago, and thought it sounded wonderful. It IS wonderful!!!

The amount of mushrooms and arugula are really enough for two pizzas. The second time I made the pizza, I only grabbed a handful of arugula and sprayed a little olive oil on it, stirred it around for a few seconds. I found that dressing a whole three cups of arugula is not necessary, and if you have leftovers, the arugula won't keep very well.

Magic Mushroom Pizza
SHAPE magazine

Ingredients

• 3 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 small red chili pepper, thinly sliced, or a pinch of dried red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 eleven inch pizza crust (Perfect Pizza Dough recipe) Like I mentioned above, there are enough mushrooms and arugula for two pizzas.
• 1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella
• 1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta
• 3 cups arugula
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the mushrooms with parsley, minced garlic, red chili pepper, rosemary, and season with salt and pepper, set aside and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle prepared pizza dough with mozzarella, feta, and mushroom mixture. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until edges of crust are golden brown.
4. Meanwhile, toss arugula with oil and vinegar and season with salt.
5. Remove pizza from oven, cut into slices, and place on a serving tray. Top each slice with dressed arugula.

Tip: Don’t try to cut the calories further by using fat-free feta – it won’t melt properly.

Olive Oil Pizza Dough

We are a homemade-pizza kind of family, and usually have it once a week. We all like different decorations: The hubby likes meat, spice, and more meat, the younger two like plain cheese or pepperoni, the oldest son and I love ours with NO tomato sauce, lots of fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers, and feta cheese. Making sure all the pizzas get baked within a reasonable time is the hardest part (oh how I'd love to have a convection oven!) Although a bit more hands-on and time consuming, homemade pizza night is sooo worth it. Start out with good, easy dough, let everyone decorate their own, and pizza night satisfies everyone!

I still love the recipe I have for Perfect Pizza Dough, but this one comes in at a close 2nd place. I found it on www.mybakingaddiction.com. The flavor is so amazing! It doesn't make the super-thin crust that we love, but the chewy texture tastes soooo good, and there's just enough crisp on the outside of the finished pizza.  My husband says this is his favorite out of all the pizza doughs we have tried so far. One batch of it made enough for 4 cookie-sheet size pizzas--a little too much for our family for one meal (although, we ADORE leftover pizza, so too much is NOT a bad thing). I still have a ball of it in the fridge that I'll try making bread sticks with tonight for supper...and the next time I make it, I may cut the recipe in half.

I did make a couple tiny changes: I cut the salt in half, and I used 3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour. OH! And I started making supper before I realized the recipe said to let the dough rise for 2 hours. I didn't! I let it rise for maybe 20 minutes while I prepped all the toppings. Next time I'll try letting it rise, but it tasted perfect without!

Olive Oil Dough

YIELD: Makes 4-1 lb loaves

INGREDIENTS:

2-3/4 cups lukewarm water
1-1/2 tablespoon granulated yeast (2 packets)
1-1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or in a large (5 quart) bowl working with a wooden spoon, mix the yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil with the water.

2. Mix in the flour without kneading. I found this process to be incredibly simple with my stand mixer, but it will certainly come together the old fashioned way. If you are not using a machine, you may need to wet your hands in order to incorporate the bit of flour.

3. Transfer dough to large (5 quart) bowl or lidded food container. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 12 days.

5. To use, spread/roll out as you like, prebake at 500 degrees for 5-7 minutes, put desired toppings on and then bake for another 5-7 minutes or until crust is browning on the edges.

NOTES:

- from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
- This recipe can easily be doubled or halved

Perfect Pizza Dough

A double batch makes 4 nice individual pizzas

This is my GO TO dough recipe. I like trying different recipes, but this is the one I love the best. One of the best things about this dough is how easily it rolls out. It doesn't 'bounce back' like most pizza doughs do when you're trying to roll it out. And it doesn't stick to the table. This is VERY good when you like your pizza crust nice and thin. Look at how thin this dough gets! When baked it is the perfect combo of thin and crisp, yet chewy inside.

You don't have to roll it out this thin, but it's nice having the option. :)

                         

I don't use the special pan they ask for in the recipe. I use a regular cookie sheet and take the pizzas off immediately to cool on a rack. One recipe makes one 12 inch pizza, or 4 mini pizzas (our favorite way to do it for lunch!). I usually have to double the recipe to feed the family. I included tripled and quadrupled measurements in the recipe for my own convenience, in case I need more for guests. ;)

Perfect Pizza Dough
(found in Shape Magazine)

                                              x 3                 x 4

1/2 c. bread flour                (1.5 c.)....         (2 c.)

1/2 c. whole wheat flour      (1.5 c.)....         (2 c.)

3/4 t. active dry yeast          (2 1/4 t.)...        (3 t.)

1/4 t. salt                             (3/4 t.)....         (1 t.)

1/2 t. sugar                          (1 t.)...             (1 1/2 t.)
6 T. cold water                    (1 c. + 2 T.)... (1 1/2 c.)
1 T. olive oil (optional, but I really love adding it)

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients, then create a well in the center and add the water. Using your hands, gently combine dough for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until it comes together.

Move dough to a lightly floured surface; knead for 10 minutes of until firm and smooth. Form into a ball. Cover with a clean dish towel; let rest for 5 minutes.

Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to form an 11 inch circle; place on a round metal pizza pan with small holes so the dough just reaches but doesn't overlap the edges. Let rest for 45 minutes before adding toppings.

Add your toppings and bake at 450 degrees for 7-10 minutes.