Pizza

Pizza

I don't really want to write a blog tonight, but I thought I would share the recipe and some pictures of last night's meal. I have been making this pizza since the kids were little. 

PIZZA DOUGH

Makes 2 14 inch  pies

¼ cup warm water                                         1 pkg. active

                                                                       dry yeast

4 ½ cups sifted flour                                      1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar                                                     1 ¼ cups lukewarm water

2 tbsp olive or other oil

Pour warm water into a warm large bowl. Sprinkle in yeast, and stir to dissolve. Mix two cups flour, the salt and sugar. Add lukewarm water and oil and beat until smooth. Mix in remaining flour and knead on a lightly floured board until elastic. Shape into a ball and turn in a greased bowl to grease all over, cover, and let rise in a warm draft free place until doubled in bulk, about one hour.

I often don't use the full amount of flour, and sometimes depending on the weather, altitude or some other mysterious outside influence, I use 3/4 of a cup less. Just add what you need when you are kneading. I now that isn't very helpful, but you get to the point when you feel it is right.

Place on greased pizza pan and roll edges under even with pan.

Bake uncovered at 450º for 20 – 25 minutes until the edges are well browned and the cheese bubbly.    

There are times when I haven’t wanted to wait for the dough to rise and used instant yeast, mixed the dough and just rolled it out to made the pizza right away. It is a little better if you let the dough rise, but when you are hungry NOW!!! the difference is negligible.

I chop onions and peppers up pretty small which makes it easier to spread, just a personal preference. You can put pretty much any topping you want on the pizza. Well, not chicken, that is just odd.