It has taken me either two or three weeks to get this posted! A few Thursdays ago, my roomie and I had a couple of friends over for a study break/dinner. I had told them that I would make my dad's famous pizza. I got kind of nervous that day because the only time I had made the dough was with Daddy supervising! This really is an easy dough to do and is yummy!
So, I go downstairs about 30 minutes before they are to arrive to start getting things ready. They arrive just about the time to start shaping the dough. WEll...I guess I didn't let the dough rest quite long enough because when I started stretching it, it kept tearing and shrinking. What did I do...threw the ball of dough in the trash can and started over!!! The second one worked although it started to do the same thing as the first. I was a little more patient and as a little time passed, the dough became more pliable and stretched for me! It turned out great! As you can see, we enjoyed it!
You really can top this with whatever you want. I used tomato sauce (I just use Prego/Ragu, but homemade would be even better!), chicken, onion, green pepper, mushrooms (A MUST!), and cheese. If you wanted you could use pesto insead of tomato sauce and that would be really good. I've also seen a pizza with bar-b-que sauce, chicken, and caramelized onions! It was good except I'm not a big fan of BBQ sauce.For all of you who think that pizza is a diet no, think again. The tomato sauce is GREAT for you, high in anti-oxidants. The veggies are wonderful and a must in healthy eating. I use part-skim Mozzarella cheese, which isn't bad, but you could use low-fat (no no-fat) cheese. Pair one piece of pizza with a salad and there is a delicious and healthy meal! It's a little early, but this is my entry for Sweetnick's ARF Tuesday! I just couldn't wait any longer to do this pizza! Check her site out on Tuesday for more.
Daddy's Pizza crust
Mix and sift:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup bread flour
2 heaping teaspoons yeast (or one packet)
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
Add a scant cup of hot water. Mix. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add 1/2 cups of flour as needed (usually around 2 times). Knead. Place dough in an oiled bowl. Place this bowl in a larger bowl with warm water. Microwave for 2 minutes at power level 2, rest for 5 minutes (or longer if needed). Punch down and knead a couple of times.Sprinkle corn meal over pizza stone (or pan you will use). Gently stretch the dough to fit the pan. Be patient! If it won't stretch give it a little time. Once in desired shape and size, sprinkle with garlic powder. At this point, top with the desired sauces and toppings. Bake the pizza at 425 F for 15 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned. If you want to pre-bake the crust, cook it for 8 minutes. This gives a slightly "puffier" crust. Enjoy with friends! On a large Pampered Chef stone, this makes 12 slices.
I've never made pizza from scratch before. I like that your dough rises "faster" than others thanks to the use of the microwave. Thanks for the inspiration & the recipe! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, it's much easier to work the dough after it rests for a while. I make my pizzas right out of the bread machine. The first one is a lot harder to work that the second one that has a few extra minutes to relax while I make the first pizza.
ReplyDeleteVC - I was kind of nervous, but it's really quite simple. If you want to do the dough the "real" way you can let it rise without the use of the microwave but this is just as good. Hope you try it out! Just let the dough rest a little bit after you punch it down.
ReplyDeletePaula - I'm glad that I have confirmation to my suspicions! Glad someone else makes her own pizza too!
That looks really good!
ReplyDeleteI've never made pizza dough either but this looks like a good one to try.
That looks good, Claire. I make my own pizza too, like Paula in the bread machine. And I also find the second pizza has more 'give'. Hmmm, we might just have to have pizza for dinner tomorrow night!
ReplyDeleteGail - you should try it some time! I had to get up my bravery to try, but it's pretty easy!
ReplyDeleteRDM - Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to let the dough rest longer next time. Hope your pizza is good!
I like to make pizza dough in the breadmaker, as it takes all the work out of it. You just need to think ahead because it takes about 1 1/2 hours.
ReplyDeletePizza is one of our interactive meals in our house. G-man grates cheese, spreads sauce and can top a pizza like a pro. Of course, HIS pie gets way more cheese than anyone else's. Go figure!
Kate - I don't have a bread machine, so I have to do all my bread with my little hands! :-) I LOVE that y'all do pizza together. Such a good way to get everyone in the kitchen and learning things.
ReplyDeleteThis is one stunning pizza! Great job.
ReplyDeleteJenjen - Thanks! I have become quite biased over the years...At slumber parties we would always have THIS pizza instead of store bought. Of course at that point my taste wasn't as refined so toppings usually consisted of cheese and pepperoni.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a fantastic pizza!
ReplyDeleteClaire -
ReplyDeleteI made this crust recipe tonight and it was a huge hit. This was by far my best pizza crust recipe attempt. Thank you so much for pointing me here and sharing the recipe. I appreciate it :)
Kristen
That is great looking pizza.
ReplyDelete