Homemade Pizza

So every week we have “pizza night” where we make our own pizza. It has taken a couple of years, but we have finally developed our recipes for sauce and dough. This is something Ethan always looks forward to as well and loves helping with. The possibilities are endless, but our favorite combinations are
Mushroom, Goat Cheese and Shallots
Tomato, Kalamata Olive and Roasted Red Pepper
Jalepeno, Pineapple and Red Onion

Sauce:
3 Large Tomatoes (in the winter, we use canned organic diced tomatoes)
Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper
Big Handful of Basil
4 Cloves Garlic
1/2 Cup Red Wine

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and simmer for about a minute.Throw in the basil leaves and let wilt for a few seconds then add the tomatoes. Add the wine and let simmer for at least 30 minutes, but more like an hour.



Dough:
2 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
3 Tbl Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
2 Packets Active Dry Yeast
2 Tbl Dried Italian Herb of Choice
2 Cups Warm Water

This recipe makes enough dough for two pizzas. I usually make one and freeze the second one so that I only make dough every other week. Put both flours in the bowl of a stand mixer and make a well in the center. Add the warm water followed by the yeast and let sit for a few minutes. Then add the olive oil, salt, pepper and herb. Using the hook attachment, turn it on medium low. Once the dough comes together, remove the bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let it sit in a warm place (I usually turn the oven on and sit it on top) for about 45 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size. Once it is done, punch it down and pull in onto the counter and roll it out into a circle. Top with the sauce and then cheese. We use marinated mozzarella and tear it into pieces. Once the cheese is on, then you can do your toppings. After the pizza is completely dressed, roll the outer edge up and press it down to make a border around the center. Brush the crust with melted butter or olive oil. Baked the pizza on a pizza stone (or just a circular pan) at 425 degrees until the crust is golden, cheese is melted and toppings are cooked.

This week we did sweet Italian sausage and mushroom. It was delicious!



Enjoy!