PIZZA

By Nicky

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 3 1/2 c. bread flour (bread flour will give you a crisper crust)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• Oil
• Cornmeal
• Tomato sauce
• Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese - shredded
• Mushrooms thinly sliced
• Cooked Italian sausage
• Pepperoni, thinly sliced
• Slice ham

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

In large bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer, add dthe warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.

Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Place ball of dough in bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or sever hours longer, a longer rise will improve the flavor. If you don't have a warm spot in house you can heat the over to 150 F and then turn off the oven. Let the oven cool til it is just a little warm then place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.

At this point, if you want to make ahead, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Place pizza stone on rack in lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450 F for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour.

Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.

Prepare you desired toppings. NOTE DO NOT LOAD UP EACH PIZZA WITH A LOT OF TOPPINGS AS THE CRUST WILL NOT END UP CRISP THAT WAY. About 1/3 c. tomato sauce and cheese for each pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza.

Working one ball of dough at a time, flatten it with hou hands on a lightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2" thick. Turn and stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter -10 12". Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip.

Brush the top of the dough with olive oil to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings. Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.

Repeat with the 2nd ball of dough.

Lightly sprinkle your baking sheet with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza stone. You can lightly shope it to the desire dimensions.

Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese and place you desired toppings on the pizza.

Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven. WATCH YOUR HANDS, OVEN IS VERY HOT. Gently shake the baking pan to see if the dough will easily slide, if not, gently lift up the edges of the pizza and add a bit more cornmeal. Slide the pizza off the pan and onto the baking stone in the oven. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is brown and the cheese is golden, about 10 - 15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking you can sprinkle on a little more cheese.