Monday, December 10, 2012

Homemade Pizza in about 30 minutes

When you live out in the woods as far as we do, making homemade pizza is a mustIf you live in town it is also a lot cheaper than delivery and cheaper and better than the frozen.  Get yourself a pizza or bread stone and make one with the kiddo's.  It's a lot easier than you think!

Here's how.  Put your pizza stone in the oven and preheat both to 450 degrees.  While your oven and stone are heating, mix your dough.

Ingredients: (makes two pizza crusts)
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 packets of active dry yeast (I use 4 1/2 teaspoons of the bulk) 
2 cups of warm water 
1 teaspoon of salt
5 cups of flour separated
1/3 cup oil
pizza sauce about 1/2 cup
favorite pizza toppings , we use Mozzarella and cheddar cheese, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and pepperoni 

1. In a large bowl mix together the sugar, yeast, warm water, salt and 2 cups of the flour.  This will make a goopy liquid dough.  Stir well and let this rest for 10 minutes.  While your goopy dough is resting, chop up your onions, peppers and mushrooms if using.

2. After the dough has rested, add the oil and the remaining 3 cups of flour and stir or get in there and mix it with your clean hands.  Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry surface that has been dusted with flour.  Knead vigorously for 2 minutes until it forms a springy, elastic dough. 

3. Divide dough into two equal pieces.  If you are not making two pizzas today. Wrap your other dough ball up in plastic wrap and refrigerate.  Use within a few days or make a pizza and freeze for a quick meal when you are pressed for time.

4. Roll your dough with a rolling pin if desired.  I prefer to use my well floured hands and pat out the dough pulling and stretching as needed.  Lift it up from your work area from time to time to make sure it is not sticking.  Add more flour underneath the dough if necessary.   If you get a tear in the dough, just pinch it back together to repair.

5. When your stone and oven has preheated to 450.  Carefully remove the hot stone from the oven and place it as near as possible to your prepared dough.  Lift dough and place dough onto the stone adjusting as needed.  Begin putting together your pizza by first adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pizza sauce.  Spread it out over the dough keeping it 1/2 inch to an inch or so away from the edge.

 Grandson and I put on the sauce, a layer of  shredded mozzarella cheese,  chopped green peppers, onions and mushrooms.  




We then added another thin layer of mozzarella and a small amount of cheddar










 Make lots of funny faces while you are making your "Elf Pizza"












 Add your meat on top.  In our grandson's case.... pepperoni.









Lots and...











 lots of pepperoni











 Put your creation into the hot oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.  Ours took 15.




 Remove from oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
  
Serve warm. Swoon. Eat More.  Fall into a pizza coma.

Repeat again tomorrow with the extra dough!

18 comments:

  1. But Mamma Bear,
    All my elves have grown into big pizza consuming boys. Do you think that I can do this without elf assistance ? It looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for posting !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ms Jane....your pizza really will take only about 30 minutes or so with an "elf's" assistance! You better make two!

      Delete
    2. that should have been without an "elf's" assistance!..LOL

      Delete
  2. oh Mamma - we are crazy about homemade pizza here too! and we make yours (minus the onions) all the time! i also like a meditterranean pizza with olive oil and garlic as the sauce, sliced tomatoes, sliced black and green olives, artichokes and 7 million pounds of mozzarrella - divine!!!! truly divine!!!!!

    i could sure use a piece of yours right now - bahahahah! your friend,
    kymber

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will have to try the olive oil and garlic. I love black olives on pizza too. I like green olives in a salad. Have never thought about putting green ones on a pizza. yeppers...the 7 million pounds of cheese is the important part. I will start milking again next February and intend on making a ton of Mozzarella.

      Delete
    2. Spinach with that white pizza is a must.

      Delete
  3. I make a lot of homemade pizza at our house. We live a good 25 minutes from any pizza places so if you want it when it's hot and ready I have to make it. I use an Italian Pizza Sauce that I found in a can at the store. I use my bread machine to do all the mixing and kneading for me. I just use the dough setting. I use Pampered Chef Stoneware to cook mine on. When I'm in the mood I will make calzones. I just make it like the pizza but fold it over and seal it up. It is so good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are now 45 minutes away. When I do splurge and buy one in town I use a thermal bag to get it home.

      I get a big can of pizza sauce at Sam's Club for $3.88. After I open it I can all the rest into pint jars. Lot cheaper than buying all those little jars one at a time.

      Don't you just love the Pampered Chef? Papa Bear keeps telling me to get another before something happens to this one. I got the one I have years ago when DIL had a party.

      I'll have to try the calzones. Sounds good!

      Delete
  4. I corrected the temp. When I was reading back over the instructions the temp should be 450.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Momma Bear,

    The only pizza to have is homemade pizza. When I make regular bread, I save extra dough for making pizza. The family loves it!
    Your Grandson is adorable, he makes for a great helper :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandy...I'll have to try saving the extra dough for pizza. I make the one I do as there is only 10 minutes of resting time for the dough but I bet the bread dough makes a better crust.

      We think Grandson is pretty special too but I could be a bit prejudice....nah...not me!

      Delete
  6. I love your grandsons toothless smile!!!! Thanks for sharing your recipe! I now know what I'm going to do with my ripened tomatoes!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep...Grandson is 7 and a member of the toothless club. It's funny...almost everyone in his class are missing their front teeth!

      Fresh ripened tomatoes would be awesome on a pizza!

      Delete
  7. awesome recipe... Was wondering what to make for dinner tonight..now I know..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You'll love it Glock Mom...the boys will too especially if they can get in there and help make it. I'm trying to teach Grandson that "men" should learn to cook too. Poor Papa Bear can only cook rice and popcorn....I don't think I will ever teach him a thing!

      Delete
  8. We were hungry. I was refusing to cook since I've been on a cooking binge and I'm burnt out. So we had a Dominoe's pizza. No taste. All waste. Then after one piece each it went into the garbage. I hear ya.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't had Domino's pizza in a long time. It used to be good. I have got to get busy and cook up some treats for family and neighbors popping in and out. Hope you are feeling better and making new memories :)

      Delete
  9. Yum! homemade pizza. I have a variety of different crust recipes. One tastes like Pizza Hut's thin crust, another is Cibatta bread, one is similiar to yours, a bread like crust. One just isn't enough. But any way you slice it, it's yummy. I especially like the photos of your grandson helping. Isn't it a joy to have grandchildren?

    ReplyDelete

Search This Blog