Last Sunday, my son and his friends wanted to make pizza from scratch. My son asked me where I keep my recipe for pizza dough. I did the finger point to my head. Then he suggested, "you need to put this on your blog, so I can find it when your head's not available." So, here's the recipe, right where you'll be able to find it.
I should say, this dough recipe is also what I use for French bread, focaccia, stromboli and calzone. I sometimes add finely chopped rosemary, oregano, thyme and/or minced garlic for added flavor.
The recipe is quite basic and forgiving. You don't need to knead the dough extensively, as you do loaf bread. A few quick turns and punches in the bowl will suffice. Or you can do a quick knead in the food processor. Just pulse the dough a dozen or more times.
This will make 2 large pizzas, 4 medium-size calzones, 10 individual stromboli, 2 loaves of French bread, or 1 extra-large baking sheet of focaccia.
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons oil (the oil tenderizes the dough, so if you like a chewier crust, use the lesser amount, and if you prefer a softer bread crust, use the greater)
about 4 cups of flour (half white, half wheat is my preference)
In a large mixing bowl pour water and sprinkle with yeast.
Stir in salt and sugar.
Mix in 1 cup of flour and the oil. Add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time. In the last cup, the dough will become stiff. Knead right in the bowl, for about 3-4 minutes. Allow to sit for about 40 minutes.
Grease your baking sheets or pans.
Punch down dough. Turn onto a floured surface. Turn and punch about 20 times.
Pizza
Divide the dough in half, and on a floured surface, press each half into a circle about 8 inches in diameter. Continue pressing and stretching the dough on the greased baking sheet, until about 1/2 to 1 inch from the edges of the baking sheet. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, then add sauce and toppings. Bake at 40 degrees F, for 15-20 minutes (more if heavy with toppings). To crisp the bottom, slide pizza off the baking sheet with a spatula, and onto the oven rack. Continue to bake another 5 minutes, or until done.
For Jiffy Pizza Sauce:
for each pizza -- in a microwaveable measuring cup or dish, stir together 1/2 cup tomato paste, 1 minced clove of garlic, 2 tablespoons minced onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano and basil and 1/2 cup water. Microwave for 40-60 seconds.
Stromboli
Stromboli is one of those great odds and ends meals. The other night I had some pepperoni, black olives, and pizza sauce that needed finishing off. To this I added some onions, green peppers, and cheese, for a delicious filling for stromboli to go with a pot of soup for our dinner.
Stromboli has the added advantage of being a complete meal inside the bun. It's neat and tidy and makes a great take away lunch or snack.
To make 10 individual stromboli:
Divide dough into 10 pieces. With a rolling pin, on a floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 8 by 5 inches.
Down the center, lengthwise, of the dough, spread a spoonful of pizza sauce, and sprinkle with toppings. If using any vegetables with water content, such as green peppers or onions, brown them in a skillet first, to draw out excess moisture. Fold the sides of the dough together, and pinch shut, forming a tube.
Turn the stromboli over and transfer to a greased baking sheet. If desired, spread the tops thinly with olive oil and pizza sauce. Allow to rise for 30-40 minutes. Half way through rising, slash the tops, gently. Bake at 400 degrees F, for about 20 minutes, or until browned. These can be served as is, or with additional pizza sauce or creamy garlic sauce for dipping.
My philosophy on getting take-out
Sometimes, it's not that I'd really be saving time by going out and picking up a pizza or bag of burgers and fries. Afterall, by the time I get in the car, drive out, wait for an order, then drive back home, it's been at least a half an hour.
So I think getting take-out is more a need to be waited on or taken care of. Our lives are so hectic, we rush from here to there, pick up/drop off, take orders from the boss, give orders to our children, clean up, tidy up, spit, sparkle and shine--life is exhausting. And we just want someone else to do something for us, for a change. The fast food industry has built their model on this modern day need.
There is another way. It's not that I want to put McDonalds and Pizza Hut out of business. I just think that if I recognize this need, then maybe I'll look inward to fill it, rather than spend more money (on fast food), just so I can work harder, so that I can pay for it all.
