Who doesn't love pizza? It's one of Italian's best gifts to humanity... it's soooo comforting, it's so delicious that it can make any day so much better after a slice or two. Have it with an ice cold beer, have it with wine, soda or just plain water... either way, you know you'll enjoy the meal.
I've been eating pizza for as long as I can remember. The first one being Shakey's, then some local company, then as Shakey's popularity faded out.. it's time to turn to Pizza Hut for much needed comfort. Every now and again, I crave for gourmet pizza where unique toppings are the star.. guess it won't be the case now... I can make my own gourmet pizza!
I always thought making pizza will be easy ... didn't think it'll be super easy.
This dough is sooo good that I plan to use it in sausage rolls, garlic breads and other goody adventures.
The only tip is: have fun and be as creative as your taste buds wish you to be!
Dough Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (blood temperature, perfect to cultivate the yeast, too hot or cold and yeast will die)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
+sausage or cheese strips for stuffing if you like stuffed crust
Toppings
Bottled Pizza Sauce
----or make your own if you really want to, 1 1/2 cups ground tomatoes, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, and 2 tblspns grated Romano cheese, combine all ingredients
Mozarella Cheese, sliced thinly
Pepperoni
Canned artichokes
Sauteed mushroom
Sauteed minced beef
Pineapple bits
Sliced olives
Parmegiano Regiano
Pepper flakes
add whatever you feel like eating...
++if you are adding leaves like rocket or spinach, add it on top when the pizza is done. The oven heat will wilt it and will destroy the colour and taste.
Dough Directions:
In your mixing bowl, combine the first 3 ingredients and stir for a minute. Add the vegetable oil, all purpose flour and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir until ingredients starts to bind.
If you have a mixer, attach the paddle and use it on medium speed for a minute. Replace with a dough hook attachment and on medium speed, knead for another 3 minutes. Turn your dough out on a lightly floured surface and manually knead using the heel of your hands for another 2 minutes until pliable.
If you want to do it manually, knead the mixture for 8 minutes.
In a separate bowl, pour the olive oil. Turn your dough ball twice on oil until all surface is coated. Cover your bowl with cling wrap and let it rest for 2 hours. If you will use the dough the following day, do the mixture at night, keep the bowl overnight in the fridge, it will rise slower. Take it out one hour before cooking.
Shaping Directions: +now is the perfect time to preheat your oven to 475F.
If you want to make a deep dish pizza, don't punch the air out. Place the dough on the deep-dish pan, press and stretch the dough until it reaches the side of the pan. When cooked, the middle section of the pizza will be almost as thick as the sides.
If you want to make a biscuit-thin crust pizza, turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press your fingers all over the dough (resembling a massage move). Flour your wooden rolling pin and roll out on all sides, turning the dough couple of degrees to get the even thinness. It also helps to stretch your dough by hand on every turn. Sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal on your cookie sheet or baking pan before transfering the dough. Roll your pin a bit more if there is enough space for the dough to stretch to make it super thin.
If you want a stuffed-crust, turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press your fingers all over the dough (resembling a massage move). Flour your wooden rolling pin and roll out on all sides, turning the dough couple of degrees every time while also stretching the dough's sides whenever you turn it. Stop at your preferred thickness. Place your stuffing on the edge of the dough, sausage or cheese or whatever stuffing you prefer. Roll the edge inside to secure the stuffing and also create a wall. Sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal on your cookie sheet or baking pan before transfering the dough.
Assembling Directions:
Lay the mozarella slices on the dough, overlapping them to make sure you cover the surface. Spread the pizza sauce on top of the cheese. Lay on the toppings you want to munch, pepperoni, minced beef, etc. The final touch is to generously sprinkle parmegiano regiano on top.
If you are making a stuffed-crust pizza, brush the edge with melted butter (add garlic on your butter before melting if you want it garlicky). Sprinkle parmegiano over the butter.
Cook it in pre-heated oven (475F) for 20 minutes.
Take your pizza out and rest for 3-4 minutes before slicing.
Enjoy!!!!
-AcousticChef, cookin' one tune at a time!
I've been eating pizza for as long as I can remember. The first one being Shakey's, then some local company, then as Shakey's popularity faded out.. it's time to turn to Pizza Hut for much needed comfort. Every now and again, I crave for gourmet pizza where unique toppings are the star.. guess it won't be the case now... I can make my own gourmet pizza!
I always thought making pizza will be easy ... didn't think it'll be super easy.
This dough is sooo good that I plan to use it in sausage rolls, garlic breads and other goody adventures.
The only tip is: have fun and be as creative as your taste buds wish you to be!
Dough Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (blood temperature, perfect to cultivate the yeast, too hot or cold and yeast will die)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
+sausage or cheese strips for stuffing if you like stuffed crust
Toppings
Bottled Pizza Sauce
----or make your own if you really want to, 1 1/2 cups ground tomatoes, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, and 2 tblspns grated Romano cheese, combine all ingredients
Mozarella Cheese, sliced thinly
Pepperoni
Canned artichokes
Sauteed mushroom
Sauteed minced beef
Pineapple bits
Sliced olives
Parmegiano Regiano
Pepper flakes
add whatever you feel like eating...
++if you are adding leaves like rocket or spinach, add it on top when the pizza is done. The oven heat will wilt it and will destroy the colour and taste.
Dough Directions:
In your mixing bowl, combine the first 3 ingredients and stir for a minute. Add the vegetable oil, all purpose flour and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir until ingredients starts to bind.
If you have a mixer, attach the paddle and use it on medium speed for a minute. Replace with a dough hook attachment and on medium speed, knead for another 3 minutes. Turn your dough out on a lightly floured surface and manually knead using the heel of your hands for another 2 minutes until pliable.
If you want to do it manually, knead the mixture for 8 minutes.
In a separate bowl, pour the olive oil. Turn your dough ball twice on oil until all surface is coated. Cover your bowl with cling wrap and let it rest for 2 hours. If you will use the dough the following day, do the mixture at night, keep the bowl overnight in the fridge, it will rise slower. Take it out one hour before cooking.
Shaping Directions: +now is the perfect time to preheat your oven to 475F.
If you want to make a deep dish pizza, don't punch the air out. Place the dough on the deep-dish pan, press and stretch the dough until it reaches the side of the pan. When cooked, the middle section of the pizza will be almost as thick as the sides.
If you want to make a biscuit-thin crust pizza, turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press your fingers all over the dough (resembling a massage move). Flour your wooden rolling pin and roll out on all sides, turning the dough couple of degrees to get the even thinness. It also helps to stretch your dough by hand on every turn. Sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal on your cookie sheet or baking pan before transfering the dough. Roll your pin a bit more if there is enough space for the dough to stretch to make it super thin.
If you want a stuffed-crust, turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press your fingers all over the dough (resembling a massage move). Flour your wooden rolling pin and roll out on all sides, turning the dough couple of degrees every time while also stretching the dough's sides whenever you turn it. Stop at your preferred thickness. Place your stuffing on the edge of the dough, sausage or cheese or whatever stuffing you prefer. Roll the edge inside to secure the stuffing and also create a wall. Sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal on your cookie sheet or baking pan before transfering the dough.
Assembling Directions:
Lay the mozarella slices on the dough, overlapping them to make sure you cover the surface. Spread the pizza sauce on top of the cheese. Lay on the toppings you want to munch, pepperoni, minced beef, etc. The final touch is to generously sprinkle parmegiano regiano on top.
If you are making a stuffed-crust pizza, brush the edge with melted butter (add garlic on your butter before melting if you want it garlicky). Sprinkle parmegiano over the butter.
Cook it in pre-heated oven (475F) for 20 minutes.
Take your pizza out and rest for 3-4 minutes before slicing.
Enjoy!!!!
-AcousticChef, cookin' one tune at a time!
RSS Feed
