This is going out a bit early this week due to the holiday.  Happy Fourth!

 

Homemade pizza is fun and easy.  You can please everybody, giving each person their own “space”.  This one is “half and half”.

Basic Pizza Dough

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1/2 tsp sugar

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

Dissolve yeast in the warm water and add sugar.  Let stand 5 minutes or until it starts to foam on top and bubble a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, and olive oil.

Add the yeast mixture and combine with your hands until it starts to hold together.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until soft  Put dough in an oiled bowl and turn it so it is covered in a light coat of oil.  Cover and let it sit in a warm place until it has doubled in size (about 1 hr).  Truthfully, I only let it sit about 1/2 hour.

I then turn it out onto a cookie sheet and spread it to cover the whole area using my fingers.  You can get out the rolling pin and flatten it out that way as well.  Or you could put it in a round pizza pan.  Whatever works for you.

Once you have the dough where you want it, cover it with a thin layer of tomato sauce.  You can use pureed tomatoes with a little basil or oregano or you can use a jar of prepared spaghetti sauce.

Next, cover the sauce with a layer of cheese.  Mozzarella is the standard but use any of your favorites or a combination of them.  Just make sure they will melt.  Some cheeses actually don’t melt.

Top that with veggies, meats, mushrooms, onions, fresh basil, whatever takes your fancy.  I made this one with half fresh mozzarella and green peppers and the other half with chopped ham and mushrooms.