Pizza! Who doesn’t like pizza? My family and I, we are pizza monsters, we like to order pizza on weekends, and if it’s just wasn’t so expensive, we’d order it more often. The kids whenever we go out, just want to eat pizza and they’re happy.
Since we love pizza, I decided to try making it at home..first, I tried to make it semi-homemade.. it wasn’t that good, I couldn’t find a really good frozen pizza crust. I decided to finally make my own pizza dough from scratch, which is not that simple also since bread flour is hard to find, I have to buy it from specialty baking supply store which is far from where I live but this recipe is worth the trip..I’ve made pizza from scratch and it’s so delicious! ;D
It wasn’t easy for me though..at least not the first few tries but as I get the hang of it, it becomes easy..and fun too! I’ve made homemade pizza often enough that I can actually toss and catch the dough already, yay! The first time I did it though it fell splat on the flour right in front of my kids…and my little boy said, I can do that too! ..lol 😀
the pizza sauce..
toppings
..and more toppings, then bake in the super-hot oven
..after a few minutes…ta-da..pizza! nom,nom, nom
TIP : use bread flour or “00” flour…I tried using all-purpose flour, it just doesn’t come out right, the dough tears easily ( I’m using gold medal ap flour btw) and it’s so frustrating when that happens; also, use semolina flour for dusting, it makes the dough chewy and crispy.
I use Wolfgang Puck’s recipe in making pizza, I followed it to the letter except for the yeast; I use instant yeast because I couldn’t find anything else but it. The recipes below are just for pizza dough and pizza sauce..from there it’s your call…go crazy, add whatever you like for the topping ..add as many cheese if you like, just watch that it doesn’t burn though; I happen to like burnt cheese 😀
I don’t have a pizza stone or a peal for lifting the pizza but guess what..it’s not that necessary..just add enough semolina flour or corn meal at the bottom of a pizza pan and it’ll be fine..it works for me I hope the same goes for you 🙂
I don’t use my mixer for kneadin, I prefer to use my hand, it’s a good workout 🙂 . Watch this video on how to make pizza dough, the recipe is quite long, this video will make it easier to digest the recipe.
PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE
adapted from Wolfgang Puck ‘s recipe
1 package active dry or fresh yeast 2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup warm water, 105 to 115 degrees
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing
Toppings of your choice
I like to use green bellpeppers, tomatoes, pepperoni, onion basil, mozarella and quickmelt cheese!
Directions
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4-cup warm water.
In a bowl, combine flour 2 1/2 cup flour, instant yeat and salt, mix; Combine water, honey and oil in another bowl or measuring cup, stir well to combine then pour in the flour mixture. Use your fingers to mix until dough comes together. Spread the remaining flour on the counter or a clean work surface then dump the dough on it. Using both hands, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and firm. (Watch this video).
If you have a stand mixer and you want to make it easier
In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour and the salt and instant yeast. Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and water and mix on low speed until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and clusters around the dough hook, about 5 minutes. (The pizza dough can also be made in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse once or twice, add the remaining ingredients, and process until the dough begins to form a ball.)
Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand 2 or 3 minutes longer. The dough should be smooth and firm. Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. (When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled).
Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Then on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 15 to 20 minutes. At this point, the balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
To prepare each pizza, dip the ball of dough into flour, shake off the excess flour, place the dough on a clean, lightly floured surface, and start to stretch the dough. Press down on the center, spreading the dough into an 8-inch circle, with the outer border a little thicker than the inner circle. If you find this difficult to do, use a small rolling pin to roll out the dough. Lightly brush the inner circle of the dough with oil and arrange the topping of your choice over the inner circle.
Using a lightly floured baker’s peel or a rimless flat baking tray, slide the pizza onto the baking stone and bake until the pizza crust is nicely browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remember that the oven is very hot and be careful as you place the pizza into and out of the oven. Transfer the pizza to a firm surface and cut into slices with a pizza cutter or very sharp knife. Serve immediately.
PIZZA SAUCE RECIPE
Tyler Florence
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
ground cayenne pepper, for some heat
I like to add a dash or two of ground cayenne pepper for some heat and some aniseed to somehow mimic the flavor of our fave pizza from Yellow Cab 🙂 – Olive
Directions
Over medium heat, heat oil in a saucepan until hot. Add all ingredients, cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, lower heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
I hope you have a fun time making your own pizza too! ! ♥
♥ Thanks for visiting…have a nice day ♥
Homemade Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 TEASPOONS INSTANT YEAST
- 1 TEASPOON HONEY
- 1 CUP WARM WATER 105 TO 115 DEGREES
- 3 CUPS All-Purpose Flour
- 1 TEASPOON KOSHER SALT
- 1 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR BRUSHING
- TOPPINGS OF YOUR CHOICE
- I LIKE TO USE GREEN BELLPEPPERS TOMATOES, PEPPERONI, ONION BASIL, MOZARELLA AND QUICKMELT CHEESE!
Instructions
- IN A BOWL, COMBINE FLOUR 2 1/2 CUP FLOUR, INSTANT YEAT AND SALT, MIX; COMBINE WATER, HONEY AND OIL IN ANOTHER BOWL OR MEASURING CUP, STIR WELL TO COMBINE THEN POUR IN THE FLOUR MIXTURE. USE YOUR FINGERS TO MIX UNTIL DOUGH COMES TOGETHER. SPREAD THE REMAINING FLOUR ON THE COUNTER OR A CLEAN WORK SURFACE THEN DUMP THE DOUGH ON IT. USING BOTH HANDS, KNEAD THE DOUGH UNTIL IT BECOMES SMOOTH AND FIRM.
I hope you have a fun time making your own pizza too! ! ♥
♥ Thanks for visiting…have a nice day