Homemade Pizza Dough

[Jerryanne]

Every time someone asks what's for dinner here on Friday night-I sound like a broken record.........PIZZA.........again!

Just so happens the timing was right last night-Bob got home early and the pizza was coming out of the oven with enough daylight for photos to be taken.

This is the dough I make every Friday night......I don't even have to look at the recipe any more-even though it's on the refrigerator-I know it by heart. It's a great dough and super easy too.

I take help from the store and use pizza sauce in a jar (I've started looking around for a good homemade pizza sauce recipe)-a thin coating....then top with some part skim shredded mozzarella cheese, a few slices of turkey pepperoni, sautéed peppers and onions with black pepper added, sliced mushrooms (fresh if I have them-if not, I use no-salt added canned mushroom slices) and a final sprinkle of shredded mozzarella-8 oz. total.

Let the dough rise about 20 minutes and into the oven it goes.

I've been making the pizza in my 12x18 pan for a while now-I like cutting it into squares-easy to pick up and it goes further than the slices.

We haven't bought pizza out in a LONG time-with a recipe this easy, there's no need to. I love saving money!


Carol




HOMEMADE PIZZA DOUGH
(Source: adapted from Country Living)

2-2 1/2 c. bread flour
1 Tbsp. instant, quick rise or bread machine yeast
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. water, heated to 115-125 degrees
1/2 c. milk, heated to 115-125 degrees
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
Cornmeal

Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil; set aside.

Combine 2 c. flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add warm water, milk and olive oil mix on low speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes. Dough will be soft.

*Dough can be done in a food processor fitted with a metal blade-combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt and pulse to combine. Slowly add water, milk, and 1/4 c. olive oil; process until the dough forms a ball and rides the blade. Process for an additional 45 seconds; transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until smooth, about 8 minutes.

Form dough into a ball; transfer to the prepared bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a clean, damp kitchen towel; set aside in a warm, draft-free place until the dough doubles in volume, 45-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a 14" pizza pan or baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; sprinkle lightly with cornmeal (I usually sprinkle it on, then tap the pan around to sort of distribute it-I like a real thin coating of it). Pat the dough into a 6" circle or square, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rest for 15 minutes (I don't do this part). Roll the dough into desired shape; transfer to baking sheet.

Add the toppings of your choice-we like a light coating of pizza sauce, a layer of shredded part-skim mozzarella, turkey pepperoni here and there, sauteed peppers and onions, mushrooms (cooked if fresh-if I don't have fresh then I use the canned ones-just drain and pat dry). then a little more cheese.

Set assembled pizza aside and let rise for about 20 minutes or until crust edges are nice and puffy (that is if you like a thick edge crust on the pizza).

Bake @ 375 degrees 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and bottom of crust is cooked.

[Gigi208]

Carol can this pizza dough be also frozen for later... if so that would be great for Tony and I dough made ahead.... will do this soon hopeful next Wednesday....Thanks for sharing your homemade dough will us all....

[Christine Mlinek]

1 Tbsp. instant, quick rise or bread machine yeast


rapid rise or active ? those are the two I have...same as quick rise for rapid? pardon my bread question but you know me!

[Jerryanne]

I've never frozen it.........I honestly don't know, Gigi........the only thing I can say is to try it and see. I know the store I shop at sells their own pizza dough frozen in bags......hmmmmmmmmmmm.....let me do some lookin' around and see.........

Carol

[Jerryanne]

Rapid Rise Christine...........that's the one you want.....

[Jerryanne]

Gigi-here's some information I found on freezing pizza dough-----

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/337965

and something a little different...

http://www.recipepizza.com/doughs/

Hope this helps!


Carol

[Christine Mlinek]

wew, still got a few of those packs left!

[Hibbsgang]

Hey Carol how many crust's does this make?

[Jerryanne]

This makes 1 thick crust 14" pizza, Deb........I do it in an 11x17-inch pan now and we get a thinner crust pan pizza-the crust is crispy on the bottom and soft on the sides but not overly thick in the rectangular pan. So....depending how you like your crust-thick or thin-will determine how many pizzas you get.

I love it both ways.

Carol

[Hibbsgang]

perfect thin is what we like. Thank you