Homemade Pizza Saves the Day

 

I used to make pizza for 5 every Saturday night because that’s what everyone wanted.  Then half the family got old enough to drive and preferred to hang out with friends.  So I stopped making it since just 2 of us were eating it.

Flash forward a few years.

  It’s Saturday afternoon, and I cannot decide what to make for dinner.  I have always loved homemade pizza, so as the cook I make an executive decision.  I will make one large pizza for Bart and me.  That’s a lot easier than five smaller pizzas, and there might even be leftovers.

In case you feel the call of pizza for dinner, here is my recipe.

Pizza – serves 2

Dough:

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 1/2 cups flour + more if needed

2 tablespoons olive oil + more for greasing the bowl

1/2 teaspoon salt

Toppings:

1/2 jar pizza sauce  

1 cup thinly sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese 

1 small onion, thinly sliced (optional) 

6 medium mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional) 

2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced (optional)

Pepperoni slices (optional) 

Other toppings you prefer 

Using a food processor or an electric mixer with a dough hook: 

Add the water to the bowl.  Then add the yeast and sugar and stir to dissolve.   Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes.  

Add the flour, olive oil and salt and process or beat on slow speed to incorporate.  Add more flour if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough stops being sticky and becomes smooth and satiny.  If the dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process or beat until it becomes smooth and satiny.  In a food processor, this takes about 1 minute; in a mixer 5 to 6 minutes.  

Mixing by hand: 

Pour the water into a large bowl.  Sprinkle the yeast and sugar into the water and stir to dissolve.  Add 1 1/2 cups flour, olive oil and salt and mix with a wooden spoon.  

Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour onto a dry, clean work surface and carefully transfer the dough onto the flour.  Knead the dough by folding it over and over on itself while pushing it with your hands, for 8 to 10 minutes.  Gradually add more flour as necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is smooth and satiny.  

Pour 1 teaspoon olive oil into a large bowl and spread around the bottom with a paper towel.  Place the kneaded dough in the bowl and turn it over so that the top is greased.  Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel, set aside on a counter and let rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.  If you’re in a hurry, turn your oven on to 350 degrees for 30 seconds and then turn it off.  Put the bowl of dough in the oven and let it rise for about 1 1/2 hours.

While the dough is rising, prepare the toppings. 

If the dough is rising in the oven, remove it about 20 minutes before you are ready to make the pizza.  Set on the counter.  Put a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and begin heating the oven to 500 degrees (or high).  If you don’t have a pizza stone, bake the pizza on a heavy-duty baking sheet. 

Sprinkle a pizza paddle or the back of a baking sheet with cornmeal or flour to prevent the pizza dough from sticking. 

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on the paddle or baking sheet.  Push and pull it into a rough circle about 12 inches in diameter.  Flatten as much as possible and pinch together any holes. 

Spread the pizza sauce over the pizza and add the mozzarella cheese.  Add the rest of the toppings.  When the oven is hot, slide the pizza off the paddle onto the pizza stone and bake for 8 or 9 minutes.  The pizza crust should be browning and the pizza itself firm enough to slide off the stone onto the pizza paddle or large cutting board.  If you don’t have a pizza stone, use the baking sheet to bake the pizza.  Cut and serve immediately. 

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