How Easy Make Pizza
Pizza is a regular visitor to our house, only it doesn't
usually come in the form of a delivery person. Making homemade pizza from
prepared dough is a quick and easy dinner any night of the week. Even
There are also no rules about the kinds of toppings you
put on your pizza. Choose ones you love. They will cook a little in the oven,
but if it isn't something you like to eat raw, like sausage or mushrooms, allow
some time to cook them ahead of time. If you'd like fresh greens, like arugula
or basil, on your pizza, sprinkle them over the pizza right when it comes out
of the oven. The residual heat from the pizza will wilt the greens just
slightly and bring out their flavor.
It's best, though, to keep the toppings to just a handful
at most. If you load homemade pizza down with a ton of toppings, it may take
too long for the crust to cook well.
Pile on the cheese or keep it all veg for a healthier
midweek meal; it's all up to you. Play around with this basic recipe and make
it your own.
Pizza is a quick and easy meal to make any night of the
week.
Makes two 10-inch pizzas
Ingredients
- 1
pound pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
- 1/2
to 1 cup sauce: tomato sauce,
- white
sauce , or other spread
- 2
to 3 cups other toppings: sautéed onions, sautéed mushrooms, pepperoni,
cooked sausage, cooked bacon, diced peppers, leftover veggies, or any
other favorite toppings
- 1
to 2 cups (8 to 16 ounces) cheese, shredded or sliced: mozzarella,
Monterey Jack, provolone, fontina, or any other favorite.
- Cornmeal
or flour (optional)
- Equipment
- Pizza
stone or baking sheet
- Pizza
peel or baking sheet
- Parchment
paper (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 550°F or higher: Don't be afraid to
really crank the heat up to its highest setting. The high heat will help make a
crunchier and more flavorful crust. Let the oven heat for at least half an hour
before baking your pizzas. If you have a baking stone, place it in the
lower-middle of your oven.
2. Divide the dough in half: One pound of dough makes two
10-inch pizzas. Slice the dough in half and cover one half with an upside-down
bowl or a clean kitchen towel while you prepare the first pizza.
3. Roll out the dough:
Method #1: Pizza Baked on Parchment: Tear off a large
piece of parchment paper roughly 12 inches wide. Working with one piece of the
dough at a time, form it into a large disk with your hands and lay it on the
parchment paper. Use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten the dough until it
is 1/4-inch thick or less. If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for
5 minutes and then continue rolling.
Method #2: Pizza with Cornmeal or Flour and a Baking
Stone: Sprinkle a handful of cornmeal or flour on a pizza peel or the back of a
baking sheet. Working with one piece of the dough at a time, form it into a
large disk with your hands and lay it on the peel. Use your hands or a rolling
pin to flatten the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick or less. Shake the peel or
baking sheet frequently as you shape to make sure the dough isn't sticking. If
the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then continue
rolling.
Method #3: Pizza Baked on a Baking Sheet: Brush a thin
film of olive oil on a baking sheet. Working with one piece of the dough at a
time, form it into a large disk with your hands and lay it on the baking sheet.
Use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick
or less. If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then
continue rolling.
4. Top the pizza: Spoon a few tablespoons of sauce into
the center of the pizza and use the back of a spoon to spread it out to the
edges. Pile on all of your toppings.
5. Bake the pizza: Using a pizza peel or the back side of
a baking sheet, slide your pizza (with the parchment or with the cornmeal) onto
the baking stone. If you don't have a baking stone, bake the pizza right on the
baking sheet. Cook for 5 minutes, then rotate the pizza. Slide the parchment
out from under the pizza, if used. Bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the
crust is golden-brown and the cheese looks toasty.
6. Slice and serve: Let the pizza cool slightly on a
cooling rack, just until you're able to handle it. Slice it into pieces and
serve.