You may never order again…okay, maybe sometimes.

Yield:  1 thick crust pizza or 2 regular crust pizzas

Ingredients:

Step 1:  Pizza Dough

  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 ⅓ cup warm water
  • 3 ½ cups all purpose flour, extra to dust hands
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Step 2:  Pizza Toppings

  • Italian seasoning to taste
  • ½ jar or ½ can of tomato sauce
  • 400 grams mozzarella cheese (for two pizzas), grated
  • Desired toppings

 

Directions:

  1. Place the active dry yeast in a large mixing bowl and add ⅓ cup of warm water.

 

  1. Let sit for 10 minutes and then stir gently. The water will be cloudy and the yeast will have dissolved.

 

  1. Add the salt, olive oil and remaining 1 cup of warm water to the bowl. Stir together.

 

  1. Add the flour and combine.

 

  1. Flour a surface and place the dough on top. Knead together for 8 to 10 minutes.  Add additional flour if the dough is still sticky.

 

  1. When the dough is firm and no longer sticking to your hands, bang it down hard on the counter a few times.

 

  1. Place the ball of dough in a large greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set aside for 1 hour to let rise.

 

  1. After the dough has risen, pull it out by hand and on an oiled pizza pan continue to pull and spread it out to desired thickness to either create one thick crust pizza or two regular crust pizzas. Note:  If kids are pulling it out and making individual pizzas, the pizzas can all be lined up on a large baking sheet.

 

  1. Preheat oven to 500°F.

 

  1. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the dough with a spoon creating a border around the pizza and ensuring not to go all the way to the edge to avoid the pizza getting stuck to the pan once cooked.

 

  1. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the sauce to add flavor.

 

  1. Add desired toppings and then cover with shredded mozzarella.

 

  1. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown.