Monday, July 23, 2007
Mom's Pizza
When I was growing up, there was no dinner I looked forward to more than my mom's pizza. It was completely homemade--and better than fast food pizza. Plus, you got to put any toppings on it you wanted, and, like all pizza, it was great cold the next day! My favorite toppings are still mushrooms, olives, and corn, though I also recommend imaginitive combos like prosciutto, artichoke hearts, and pine nuts. Whatever you like, just have fun! Recipe makes two large pizzas.
Ingredients:
Crust
5 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
1 package fast-acting yeast
1/4 t. sugar
1-1/4 c. warm water
Sauce
1 T. olive oil
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 anchovies, mashed, or a squirt of anchovy paste
16 oz. tomato sauce
1 t. dried sweet basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Toppings
Grated mozzarella cheese
Meats and veggies, as desired
Italian Herb Seasoning
Grated Parmesan cheese
Step-by-step:
1. Make the crust. Put warm water in a large bowl and sprinkle yeast and sugar over the water. Mix well with a whisk. Let rest for one or two minutes, until you see bubbles forming. Add flour, salt, pepper, and oil. Mix with a wooden spoon. When liquids have been absorbed, knead dough for about 5 minutes (either by hand on a floured surface, or in a mixer with a dough hook), until smooth and elastic. Let rest while you make the sauce.
2. Make the sauce. Heat 1 T. olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and anchovies, and sauté until garlic is golden. Add tomato sauce, basil, salt, and pepper. Turn down heat to low while you prepare the toppings.
3. Put together the pizzas. Divide dough into two parts and stretch each part with your fingers onto well-oiled pizza pans or cookie sheets. Spoon a little sauce over each crust, then spread liberally with grated mozzarella. Sprinkle desired toppings over cheese, then spoon more sauce over the toppings. Finish the pizza with additional mozzarella and a sprinkling of Italian Herb Seasoning and some grated Parmesan.
4. Bake the pizzas. Bake pizzas in a preheated 400 degree F oven until done, about 30 minutes. Time will vary according to size of pizza and toppings. Pizzas are done when cheese is melted and golden, and crust sounds hollow when tapped.
Notes on toppings: If you choose any vegetables that contain a lot of water, such as mushrooms or zucchini, it is recommended that you sauté them quickly before adding them to pizza. This will keep your pizza from being soupy as the veggies release their water. Similarly, if you use any raw meats, such as ground beef or sausage, they should be cooked first.
Variation on baking: If you have a pizza stone, feel free to bake your pizzas directly on the stone, instead of on pizza pans. Because this pizza turns out a bit on the heavy side, you may want to split the dough into four parts (or more) and make smaller pizzas when baking on a pizza stone. This will make it easier to move them in and out of the oven.
Labels: main courses
