Amazing Pizza From Scratch

| Kathleen Henry
Amazing Pizza From Scratch

It looks like a lot, but trust me when I tell you that it couldn't be easier.

Dough recipe from Cook's Illustrated
Sauce recipe inspired by All Recipes

Dough

  • 13/4 water divided, 1/2 cup warm, remaining at tap temperature
  • 11/2 tsp salt
  • 4 cup bread flour
  • 1 envelope instant dry active yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
  1. The first item of business is to ensure that your pizza stone is in your oven. Preheat the oven to 500 F. The stone needs to rest in the oven for at least 30 minutes at 500 F. This is important, don't skip it.
  2. Add 1/4 cup of warm water into a small bowl. Sprinkle in the instant yeast, give it a very gentle stir and then let it rest for about 5 minutes. Add another 1/4 cup of  warm water, plus 1 1/4 cups of tap water as well as the olive oil. Stir gently. In the meantime, add the flour and salt to the food processor and pulse to combine. Next, add the liquid ingredients, reserving about one tablespoon. Pulse. The dough should easily form into ball, however, if it doesn't then it may then need a little more liquid. In this case, stop the processor and add the reserved liquid. Pulse again until a ball forms. Process the dough about 30 seconds more or until it's satiny and smooth .
  3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface by hand. This should only take a few strokes or until it forms a smooth, round ball. Lightly spray or oil a medium/large bowl, place the dough ball inside and cover with a warm, damp cloth. Allow the dough to rise until it's doubled in size (hey a rhyme!), or about 40 minutes, the longer, the better. Meanwhile make the sauce and prepare the toppings.
  4. Once the dough has risen, cleave it in half and and form into two balls. Put one of the balls back into the bowl and cover again with the damp cloth until ready to use. Working with one piece of dough at a time, flatten the dough ball into a disk with your hand. Starting at the center of the disc and using the ball of your palm, stretch the sides of the disc outward until the desired crust size is reached. Transfer the dough to the heated pizza stone and brush the top and edges of the dough very lightly with olive oil before the sauce and toppings go on.

    Sauce

    • 1 tsp paprika
    • pinch of salt
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
    • 1/2 tbsp sugar
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 2 fresh basil leaves or 1/2 Tbsp. dried basil
    • 1 tbsp dried oregano
    • 1 6 oz. can of tomato paste
    • 1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
    1. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend it up! Divide the sauce in half and spread onto the uncooked pizza crust with a spatula. Well that was easy. Now isn't that better than the stuff in the jar?

      Toppings

      • 2 small vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced in segments
      • 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
      • 4 slices of vegan salami or pepperoni, chopped
      • 1 vegan Italian sausage link, sliced
      • 1 8 oz. package of shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
      1. Split the toppings in half and layer the uncooked pizza crust with the sauce first, then the cheese, followed by your toppings. We like the tomatoes added after the pizza has been baked but it's all personal preference so do what you like!
      2. I assembled the pizza right on the stone but you don't have to. It's probably safer...but I live on the edge! Bake each pizza separately at 500 F for about 12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the crust begins to turn brown.

      For the full post, visit Produce on Parade.