Pizza Making

Let's talk about pizza. We have pizza about once a week and have done so for more than 20 years.

It hasn't always been a pretty experience, just ask my kids. They can tell you some good stories like the gooey pizza  or the day the pizza made mom cry.

 We have done many different things over the years for pizza night. They include ordering pizza which gets pricy quick, english muffin pizza which always seems more like a lunch then a dinner. Then there was french bread pizza a step in the right direction. There were the times we tried to make dough from scratch, that didn't go well for many years but every so often we would try again. One thing that did work when we had the freezer space was buying par baked pizza crusts by the case from Sam's Club. We used to get them from the bakery department.

Then finally we managed to make pizza dough at home, and turn it into a delicious pizza. I think splitting the jobs is what made it work. I made the dough, but the actual rolling and making of the pizza was someone else's job. This was our son Conner's job at about age 12, and once he went to college Aidan took over at about the same age.

Does the pizza come out perfect each time no it doesn't, sometimes the crust gets a little crispy, or the dough doesn't roll out just right. But that is ok, we learn something new each time we make it, it's a team project and we have fun doing it. 

Now that Conner and Shadow live locally again they come home one day a week to make pizza and do laundry. I make the dough, but since I work full time outside the house I make the dough in large batches about once a month and freeze.  

Here is the recipe that we use to make the dough:

2 cups warm tap water

2 tablespoons yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

All of these are placed in a bowl or I use my kitchen aide mixer. Mix and let sit for a little bit till it looks foamy and smells yeasty. 

Then add about 4 cups of flour, it can vary based on how dry/ humid the air is.

Add enough flour to make a dough, knead until it forms a ball. Let it rise till doubled about 1 hour depends on the temp of the room.

Then it's time to make the pizza, this recipe will make one 3/4 sheet of pizza or 1 with a bit of a 16 inch round pizza.

    This time we made a 3/4 sheet pan the biggest that will fit in a normal oven. I like to spray the pan before rolling out the crust. This year we just got these two handy little tools. Wish we had found them years ago, the wooden roller works perfectly at rolling out the dough quick and easy. And the white one I can poke holes in the crust so much faster then with fork. 

On the other hand Conner does enjoy tossing the pizza first.

Time to add the toppings, whatever your heart desires. This one was a jar of alfredo sauce, one can of chicken, a hand full of diced bacon, mini peppers and broccoli. Along with parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese, and seasonings.

We baked it at 425 with the fan on in the convection oven for 8 mins ,check to see if the crust is able to be lifted from from the tray, if so then turn the pan and about 8 more min to make sure that the top cooks. If we are cooking 2 pizza's at the same time, we also rotate the pizzas at this time, so that they don't burn on the bottom.

The first time you make pizza in your oven keep a close eye on it so that you don't burn it.