Pizza

 

A favorite of kids (and adults too).  Making your own pizza allows you to use the best quality ingredients, plus it shows your family just how delicious foods can be which are made with 100% God-made ingredients.  Pizza dough is one of the most forgiving yeast doughs to make (besides potato rolls), and thus a good one to start with. Doubling the recipe will make 3 large, thin crust pizzas.  The key to a good pizza crust (which I learned taking a cooking class at William-Sonoma many years ago) is to use lots of oil olive in the crust dough.  I also think the addition of the semolina flour is important.

Ingredients:

Crust (dough can be made in a bread machine):

1 cup plus 1 Tbl filtered water

2 tsp baking yeast (use 3 tsp if doubling recipe)

3 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp raw pure honey

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup semolina flour (do not use enriched flour)

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or 3/4 cup soft white wheat berries, ground fine)

~ 1 cup whole wheat bread flour (or 3/4 cup whole wheat berries, any variety)

 

Heat water gently in a warm spot in your home or in a slightly warmed oven to about 85 - 90 °F (this is about the temperature of a baby bottle or swimming pool).  I set the measured water out early in the day (typically in the oven after baking something for lunch).  Add yeast and allow to sit for 5 minutes.  Pour into a large bowl that has been warmed gently also to 85 - 90 °F. and then add the olive oil, honey and sea salt.  (Honey feeds the yeast and salt kills it, so be sure to add the honey first, and be ready to immediately start stirring in the flour.)  Stir together and then add 1 cup semolina flour.  Next stir in 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour.  At this point, be sure to incorporate the flour into the dough from the edges, and do not cut through the dough when stirring.  As the dough pulls together, begin to knead the dough as you continue to stir in additional flour, about a quarter cup at a time.  I use a large flat wood spoon.  Next, knead with your hands only adding a bit of additional flour as needed to reduce stickiness.  Continue kneading for about 5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth looking and elastic.  Use only enough flour to give your dough firmness; it will still be slightly sticky. 

Form dough into a ball, oil a large warm bowl (you can use the bowl you mixed the dough in) with olive oil, and place ball in bowl.  Rub a bit of oil on the top of the dough to keep it moist.  Place a damp pastry cloth over the bowl, and allow to sit in a warm spot (again 85 - 90 °F) for about an hour, or until double in size. 

When double in size, roll out dough with a rolling pin to the size that will fit into your pizza pan (makes about one extra large or two medium pizzas).  Place on a greased pizza pan (I use olive oil).  Let rise in warm spot (85 - 90 °F) for additional 30 - 45 minutes.

Assembling Pizza

~ 2 Tbl olive oil

1 - 2 cloves of garlic, minced

tomato sauce (I use Bionaturae Strained Tomatoes)

Italian seasoning

shredded mozzarella cheese (shred yourself - less expensive and then does not contain anti-caking ingredients)

Some toppings possibilities:  diced onions, diced bell pepper, diced jalapeno, Canadian bacon and/or pepperoni (be sure to get nitrate/nitrite free good quality), cooked hamburger meat, cooked crumbed sausage, pineapple, mushrooms, fresh basil, etc.

 



While rolled dough is rising, prepare your topping ingredients.  Place minced garlic and olive oil together in a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 425 °F.  When crust has doubled in thickness, gently spread on a coating of garlic olive oil over the pizza crust.  Don't press too hard and destroy your rising dough.  This step is very important.  The olive oil keeps the crust from getting soggy from your toppings when baking.  I use a spoon to spread (much easier to clean than a brush).

 

 

Next, spread on tomato sauce.  I again use a spoon to spread it.

 

I then sprinkle on dry Italian seasoning lightly over the entire surface.  I add the seasoning even if I am also using fresh herbs (I love fresh basil on my pizza).

 



Then add remaining ingredients and top with cheese.  Each of my family members customizes their pizza (or portion of a pizza) with the toppings they like.

 

Bake at 425 °F for 10 to 12 minutes (or until crust is baked and cheese is melted).  Baking time varies slightly depending upon the amount of toppings used.  Cool and slice.  Extra pizza can be store nicely in the refrigerator and then reheated at 375 °F for 5 minutes.