Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!

 

 I have been seriously craving pizza for about three weeks now, but just can't get myself to order one, because that just seems so silly to pay $12 for a greasy pizza that I'll probably modify when I get it home anyways. Plus, it always takes them soooo long to get to my front door. So I made one myself, and it's much healthier, and much more delicious.


For Ze Making of Ze Pizza Crust Fantistico

1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (105 degrees F. to 115 degrees F.)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a small bowl, add the sugar to the water and sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine well 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the unbleached white flour with the wheat flour, cornmeal, salt, and red pepper flakes. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the yeast mixture and the oil, and using a wooden spoon, vigorously stir the flour into the well. Begin at the center and work slowly outward, until the flour mixture is incorporated and the dough just begins to come together.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.Continue to knead until the dough is smooth and shiny, with good elasticity, about 10 to 15 minutes more. The dough should feel springy and be slightly moist. Too much kneading may result in a tough crust. (Truth is... I actually didn't do this part, and my crust turned out magnificently. I just made the dough and then covered it, only kneading it for about 30 seconds. Do what you're heart tells you...)
4. Oil a large bowl, shape the dough into a smooth ball, and place the ball in the bowl. Turn to coat the dough with the oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise until it doubles in size, about 90 minutes.
5. Punch the dough down into the shape of you're pizza or pizzas, if you will.
8. Leave the dough to rest, about 15 minutes, or place in the refrigerator for thinner crust (because the dough doesn't rise as much in the refrigerator).
9. Roll it, or punch it out, then place it on a cornmeal surface (wooden pizza dish or cookie pan). Paint some olive oil on its surface to keep the ingredients from making the dough soggy.


Make It A Pizza!

set oven to 450.

Sauce:
a combo of 6 oz. tomato paste and 15 oz. tomato sauce
add heaps of oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme
about a 1/2 tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. chopped garlic

then....

just top the pizza crust with the sauce, veggies and cheeeeese!
I used lots of spinach (probably the equivalent of a large salad), steamed broccoli, shitake mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato slices, and fresh basil. And it was sooooo good.

Put it in the oven for about 15 minutes... just keep a close eye that it gets just slightly browned on the edges. Pull it out, let it cool, and VOILA delicimo!

enjoy!