EZ Homemade Pizza

Generally I like a thick, fluffy crusted pizza with more cheese than could be fit on one pizza. But my husband likes thin crusted pizza, thin enough to get cracker crisp... smothered and dripping with pizza sauce. We have tried delivery pizza from everywhere. We have bought every brand of frozen pizza. Nothing really lights me up and makes me like pizza. And at a minimum of $6 per decent pizza that doesn't taste like cardboard with plastic cheese... I figured I can make them myself cheaper and hopefully better. Well, it doesn't pass the hubby test, but the children cheer when I make it... and I crave it. Me, crave PIZZA. I have never even really liked pizza!

So I have to share. I pulled out my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook and used their pizza recipe. But It wasn't quite right so I tweaked it the next time, and then again the next time, and then again the next time. I think I finally have it perfected. And I say to you: I love this pizza!

The recipe lists as starting with a mixer. I do the whole thing by hand.
Recipe is as follows: 1 1/2 cups of flour, 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast, 2 Tablespoons cooking Oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup warm water. Combine 3 minutes. Try to add as much of the additional 2 1/4 cups of flour, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (8 minutes). Form into ball and let sit to rise for 10 minutes. (recipe said to cut in half and form each before letting stand).

While the dough is rising, Toss a sauce pot on the stove with 16 oz can tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 2 teaspoons minced dried onion, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 2 cloves garlic crushed, 1 teaspoon sugar. Reduce the sauce until it is thick and not watery.

Return to the dough. Cut dough ball into 4. Take one, roll it into a ball, place on floured surface and roll out as thin as possible. (original recipe made 2 pizzas. I make 4.) After transfer to a pizza stone covered with corn meal. Butter the edge of the crust. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese over the butter. Sprinkle granulated garlic over the butter. Lightly crumble dried parsley over the previous items.

Add sauce to the crust. spread it out all the way to the buttered edges, further if preferred. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle less cheddar cheese on too. (I like a 5 cheese pizza) You can also bump it up a bit more by sprinkling it with a mix of italian spices and grated parmesan cheese before serving.

Bake at 450 Degrees for 13 minutes.



mmmmmm Nummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With the thin crust it is important to have the corn meal under the crust. It is also very important that the sauce is thick in consistency so that a more watery sauce does not soak into the crust making it gooey.

I love em!!!!

~Anne