Homemade Pizza

Homemade pizza

Maybe pizza is not the most romantic dinner but preparing it definitely can be :). Especially when accompanied with a glass of a good wine, so maybe give it a try. And of course romantic dinners are not reserved only for Valentine’s Day!

When making this pizza I usually use already seasoned tomatoes to shorten preparation time, but mixing herbs with tomatoes is not very time consuming either… And once you make your own pizza it will be difficult to go back to store/restaurant bought one. This I can promise. Enjoy!

Recipe for the dough was adapted from Joy of Cooking.

Ingredients:

Pizza dough

• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Topping

• 1/3 28oz can whole tomatoes OR Italian sauce chopped tomatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon mixed basil, oregano, pepper OR to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• green pepper, mushrooms, pepperoni, other ingredients of your choice
• 1 1/2 shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Tomato sauce

1. If using whole tomatoes: process them with their juices in a food processor OR with an immersion blender, add basil and oregano and pepper.
2. If using already seasoned chopped tomatoes: just process them in a food processor OR with an immersion blender.

Pizza

1. In a mixer bowl combine together water and yeast. Wait about 5 minutes for yeast to dissolve.
2. Add the remaining ingredients of pizza dough and mix on a low to medium speed for about 10 minutes. The dough will be smooth and elastic.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic OR clean dishcloth OR both, and let it rest in a warm place until it doubles in volume, about 1 1/2 hour.
4. Punch the dough and divide in half. Roll each half into a ball, cover with plastic and let it rest again, for about 15 minutes.
5. Prepare baking sheets and have ready the toppings.
6. Preheat the oven to 475°F
7. Flatten each ball to 12 inch circle by rolling it and stretching.
8. Brush the dough with olive oil.
9. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
10. Cover pizza with tomato sauce.
11. Add desired topping: sliced green pepper, mushrooms, pepperoni, etc.
12. Top with mozzarella cheese.
13. Bake one pizza at a time for ~12 minutes.

Yield: two 12 inch pizzas, 8 slices each

Nutritional Info (pizza dough+tomato sauce and mozzarella topping, 1 slice): Cal 160, Prot 6g, Carb 23g, Fat 5g, Fiber 1g

Homemade pizza