Homemade Pizza

So, I have tried to make homemade pizza a few times before, and the results were usually mediocre. Tonight I tried Tony Danza's recipe for pizza dough, along with a recipe for homemade pizza sauce I cut out of a cooking magazine. About a year and a half ago I was perusing the cookbook section of the library and saw Don't Fill Up On the Antipasto: Tony Danza's Father-Son Cookbook which was published in 2008. I checked it out from the library and then liked it so much I decided to buy a copy.

Anyway the dough came out really well- it helped a lot that I had a friend teach me how to make homemade bread last week. There was a lot about making any kind of dough that I did not understand before last week. I did not let the dough rise as long as I should have because we were hungry and I underestimated the rising time. I also didn't have fast-rising yeast- I only had "active dry yeast" and from what I could find online there is a difference. But all in all I'm very happy with this recipe. The dough made two pizzas about 12 inch in diameter. I learned after the first pizza to go easier on the sauce and cheese and not to use fresh mozzarella (too watery). I will definitely be making this again! Here is his recipe the way I did it (not quite exactly Tony's- but close).

Dough:

• 1 pkg fast-rising yeast
• 1 c warm water
• 1 t sugar
• 3 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 T salt
• 1 T + 2 t olive oil
• 1 T honey (optional, but I used it)

Sauce:
blend in a food processor until smooth:

• 28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained well
• 2 T chopped fresh basil
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (more if desired)
• 1/4 t salt

Proof the yeast by stirring it with 1/2 c of the warm water and the sugar, then let it sit for 10 mins in the bowl of a mixer with a dough hook attached. Add some of the flour, 1 T of the oil and the honey, if using. Turn the mixer on and gradually add the rest of the flour along with the salt and remaining water. You may not require all of the water called for in the recipe. Mix it in the bowl about 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Take out of bowl and knead on a floured board and counter for a few mins more. Cut the dough in half and round off each half. Place each ball of a dough in a soup bowl with 1 t oil. Turn and coat the dough with the oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise about 2 hours until double in size. If you let it rise in a warm place it probably won't take quite as long to rise.

When dough is ready, preheat the oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone on middle rack. You will need a pizza peel or a cookie sheet. Sprinkle cornmeal liberally on peel or cookie sheet. This will help the pizza slide off and onto the stone. Take one ball of dough and stretch or roll it into a flat circle. Using your fingers form a ridge along the edge to help keep the sauce on the pizza. Slide the dough onto the peel/cookie sheet. Spread 1/4 c pizza sauce on it (more if desired). Top with desired toppings (I did mozzarella, turkey pepperoni, mushrooms and a mix of mozzarella and monterey jack cheese).

When oven is preheated slide pizza onto stone using peel or cookie sheet. Here is where I will do it differently next time. I do not have a pizza peel and found the cookie sheet method very difficult. Next time I will stretch out the dough, and when the oven is preheated, take the stone out of the oven, put the dough on top and bake for about 5 mins. Take out of the oven and quickly top the pizza, then pop it back in the oven. I think it would be easier if you had a pizza peel because a cookie sheet does not work well for this. We like our crust crispy, if you don't, you probably don't need to bother prebaking the crust.

Bake for 10 to 15 mins, spinning the pizza occassionally. It should be golden brown on the bottom. Remove from oven and let cool 2 mins before slicing and serving. While the first pizza is baking, prepare the dough for the second pizza.

(Updated w/ pictures on 2/11/11 after making this successfully for the second time!)