By Sheri
MAKE A YUMMY DELUXE PIZZA
Making pizza dough from scratch isn’t really that difficult. Sure, you’re not going to be able to toss it up in the air to stretch it out, unless you’re an expert juggler. You also probably may not have a 800 degree pizza oven. However, you can control the ingredients and the result can be delicious to say the least.
The exact toppings you use are up to you – feel free to improvise. This recipe is for a deluxe style that typically has mushrooms, green peppers, black olives and at least one type of meat such as pepperoni.
For the seasoned tomato sauce, it’s best to use your favorite homemade recipe – you can always save the rest for a spaghetti meal or something. In a pinch though use canned or jars, but for me these are way too sweet so at least use a top quality type without tons of cheap sugar added!
HOMEMADE MUSHROOM DELUXE PIZZA
DOUGH
1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp honey
½ cup warm water
1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
¼ tsp salt
2 Tablespoons cornmeal
2 tsp olive oil
SAUCE
1 cup seasoned tomato sauce – preferably homemade
TOPPINGS
pepper, garlic powder, oregano, basil and chopped parsley
1 ½ lbs sliced mushrooms
3 ounces pepperoni or other meat
black olives, green pepper slices, and any toppings you want
1 ½ cups cheeses of your choice such as mozzarella blended with cheddar and Parmesan
1. Using a large bowl, mix in the yeast and honey with the warm water. Leave this sit for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the flour plus the salt into the yeast mixture. The dough should be soft.
2. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it’s smooth and stretchy. Keep adding the remaining ¼ flour to your hands, the surface and the dough to keep it from sticking.
3. Grease a large bowl, place the ball of dough into it and cover the top of the bowl with a clean towel. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle about 12 or 13 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the cornmeal on a baking sheet, then place the circle of dough on it. Use your thumb and fingers to crimp the edges of the dough crust to make an edge.
5. Brush the dough with olive oil and bake in a preheated 500F oven for about 7 minutes.
6. Spread the tomato sauce onto the pizza. Sprinkle on pepper, garlic powder, oregano, basil and chopped parsely.
7. Add the mushrooms, cheeses, meat and toppings of your choice.
8. Bake about 10 more minutes or until hot all the way through with the cheese melted.