Pizza Recipe

I decided to make pizza for dinner tonight.  It just sounded a little better than the ham dinner :)  Here's the recipe:

Pizza Dough Crust

1 1/2 c. warm water (110-115 degrees)

2 Tbsp. sugar

1-1/4 oz packet or 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 c. white, all-purpose flour

Pour the warm water in a large mixing bowl.  Add sugar and yeast.  Stir the mixture slowly until the yeast and sugar are dissolved.  Let sit to allow the mixture to mature for about 10 minutes.  The mixture will begin to react;  clouding and forming a foamy "head" on the surface of the mixture.

Add the salt and olive oil and stir again to combine and dissolve the ingredients.  Add 1 cup of flour and whisk in until dissolved.  Add the second cup of flour and whisk it in.  Add the third cup of flour and combine.  By now the dough mixture should be fairly thick.  Add the last cup of flour and, with your hands, begin to combine and knead the dough.

Remove the dough ball to a tabletop to knead.  You may need to add a dusting of flour from time to time to reduce the stickiness of the dough.  Be patient, folding the dough ball in half and then in quarters, over and over again for about 8-10 minutes.  Better to over knead than under knead.  You'll know you've done well when the ball no longer sticks to your hands.  It will become a smoothly-textured ball, slightly larger than a large grapefruit.

Coat the dough ball with a thin layer of olive oil and place in the bottom of a large mixing bowl that has also been coated on the inside with olive oil.  Stretch a piece of saran wrap over the top and set it in a warm place such as an unlit oven.  Allow the dough to rise, undisturbed for 60-75 minutes.  The dough will have grown to at least twice its original size.

Take the dough out of the bowl and cut it in half with a knife.  Take each portion and hand-mold them into balls.  Press each dough ball flat to squeeze and release any air trapped inside.  Form the portions back into balls, smoothing the outer surface and tucking each ball "into itself" from underneath.

This recipe will make two 12" pizzas.  Top with sauce and your favorite items and bake for 12 minutes at 450 degrees.

Cari's Pizza Sauce - I came up with this after a little experimenting :)

1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste

1 (8 oz.) can of tomato  sauce

1/4 tsp. pizza seasoning

1/4 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp.parsley

1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Whisk together.