Monday, October 17, 2011

New Meal Monday: Homemade Pizza

Who doesn't love pizza? I'm sure there's someone, somewhere, who doesn't, but that person certainly doesn't live in our house. Around here, we could (and sometimes do) have pizza for supper a couple nights a week. I've tried a few different recipes for homemade crust, but none can compare to the one we use now.

Confession: I was afraid of yeast. The idea of having the water at the exact right temperature intimidated me, the concept of proofing seemed overwhelming, and I was always worried I would knead the dough too much or too little. But this recipe was touted as nearly foolproof, so I gave it a shot.

Best. Decision. Ever. This thing really is nearly impossible to mess up. I've made it numerous times, and every pizza is just as good as the last. If you're a fellow pizza lover (and really, why wouldn't you be?), I urge, nay, I beg you, to add this recipe to your arsenal.

One more thing before I give you the good stuff: let's not overlook how frugal pizza can be. The most expensive  ingredient in the crust is the yeast, which can be purchased rather inexpensively in bulk or with a coupon. I routinely purchase pasta sauce for less than $1 a jar. As for the toppings, you can use pizza night as a way to rid the fridge of leftovers. Taco pizza, kabob pizza, Italian chicken and artichoke pizza...the sky is the limit. Pizza is cheap, my friends.

Homemade Pizza
adapted slightly from Money Saving Mom

First, the line up. You'll need:
-1 tablespoon of active dry yeast
-1 cup of warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees)
-1 teaspoon sugar
-1 teaspoon salt
-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
-2 1/2 cups of flour
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients except water and yeast.
In a small bowl (I use a measuring cup) dissolve yeast in water.
Add water and yeast to other ingredients and mix until combined.
Knead dough on a floured surface until the dough is smooth (about five minutes). If you have a mixer with a dough hook, you can let that do the work.
Roll out dough and transfer it to a greased pizza pan.
Top it! Go crazy with whatever sauce, cheese, and toppings you can find.

Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly and crust is golden slightly crispy.

Enjoy!

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