Homemade Pizza

There are many nights where I just don't have the will to make dinner.  Usually when Tim isn't going to be home.  I have Papa John's on speed dial but lately the fun to making pizza myself has overcome the urge to reach for the phone.  


While I like the ease of just buying Trader Joe's pizza dough in a bag, and it is tasty and simple, I have found I prefer the taste of homemade pizza dough.  America's Test Kitchen has a great recipe, that uses a processor which works well for me since I don't own a KitchenAid. One day!  The only downside I have found for making your own pizza dough is that you have to plan ahead. You can't decide at 5pm that you want to make pizza and serve it at 6pm.  You CAN decide at 3pm that you want to make pizza and serve it by 6pm.

I hate rolling pins for pizza. I find it's so much easier to work the dough with your hands on a greased cookie sheet.

I sauteed the garlic in olive oil for just a minute or two before adding it to the tomatoes

heaven in a bowl

Don't forget to give the hungry baby some cheese to eat while you assemble the pizza

my helpers who are still learning how to evenly distribute the cheese

half the cheese went into theirs mouths

I returned to the kitchen to find that the pizza was being closely monitored.

cheesy goodness

approved!

Dough:

4 1/4 cups bread flour  2 1/4 tsp (1 envelope) instant or rapid-rise yeast ( 1 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp olive oil 1 1/2 cups warm water 

Makes 2 lbs dough (enough for 3 12" pizzas)

Prep time - 5 minutes

Total time - 1hr 15 min

In the processor with dough blade attached:

Combined dry ingredients and mixed on low to blend.

Add olive oil & water. Mix on low until a ball of dough forms.

sprinkle flour on the table and need dough for 5 minutes before placing it in a well oiled bowl.

Let rise for 1 -1 1/2 hour covered with plastic wrap.

Sauce:

small can crushed tomatoes

minced fresh garlic

chopped fresh basil

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Cook on a greased pan for about 13 minutes, until cheese is beginning to brown and bubble, at 425 degrees.