Pizza is a
regular visitor to our house, only it doesn't usually come in the form
of a delivery person. Making homemade pizza from prepared dough is a
quick and easy dinner any night of the week. Even making your own dough only really adds a few minutes to the prep time! Pile on your favorite toppings and get ready to chow down.
My favorite method for shaping the pizza is to roll the
dough onto a piece of parchment paper. The dough sticks to the
parchment, making it easier to work with and easier to transfer into the
oven. The pizza will release from the parchment during cooking and the
parchment can be removed halfway through cooking. The parchment darkens
in the oven, but doesn't burn or catch fire.
If you'd prefer not to use parchment, take a look at Method #2 or #3 below.
There are also no rules about the kinds of toppings you put
on your pizza. Choose ones you love. They will cook a little in the
oven, but if it isn't something you like to eat raw, like sausage or
mushrooms, allow some time to cook them ahead of time. If you'd like
fresh greens, like arugula or basil, on your pizza, sprinkle them over
the pizza right when it comes out of the oven. The residual heat from
the pizza will wilt the greens just slightly and bring out their flavor.
It's best, though, to keep the toppings to just a handful at
most. If you load homemade pizza down with a ton of toppings, it may
take too long for the crust to cook well.
Pile on the cheese or keep it all veg for a healthier
midweek meal; it's all up to you. Play around with this basic recipe and
make it your own.
Bake the pizza on
a pizza stone or a baking sheet for 5 minutes. Rotate, removing the
parchment if used. Bake another 3-5 minutes until crispy and golden.
(The parchment will darken, but won't burn.)
How To Make Pizza at Home
Makes two 10-inch pizzas
What You Need
Ingredients
1 pound pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
1/2 to 1 cup sauce: tomato sauce,
white sauce, or
other spread
2 to 3 cups other toppings: sautéed onions, sautéed
mushrooms, pepperoni, cooked sausage, cooked bacon, diced peppers,
leftover veggies, or any other favorite toppings
1 to 2 cups (8 to 16 ounces) cheese, shredded or sliced:
mozzarella, Monterey Jack, provolone, fontina, or any other favorite.
Cornmeal or flour (optional)
Equipment
Pizza stone or baking sheet
Pizza peel or baking sheet
Parchment paper (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 550°F or higher:
Don't be afraid to really crank the heat up to its highest setting. The
high heat will help make a crunchier and more flavorful crust. Let the
oven heat for at least half an hour before baking your pizzas. If you
have a baking stone, place it in the lower-middle of your oven.
2. Divide the dough in half: One pound of dough
makes two 10-inch pizzas. Slice the dough in half and cover one half
with an upside-down bowl or a clean kitchen towel while you prepare the
first pizza.
3. Roll out the dough:
Method #1: Pizza Baked on Parchment: Tear off a large piece
of parchment paper roughly 12 inches wide. Working with one piece of the
dough at a time, form it into a large disk with your hands and lay it
on the parchment paper. Use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten the
dough until it is 1/4-inch thick or less. If the dough starts to shrink
back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then continue rolling.
Method #2: Pizza with Cornmeal or Flour and a Baking Stone:
Sprinkle a handful of cornmeal or flour on a pizza peel or the back of a
baking sheet. Working with one piece of the dough at a time, form it
into a large disk with your hands and lay it on the peel. Use your hands
or a rolling pin to flatten the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick or
less. Shake the peel or baking sheet frequently as you shape to make
sure the dough isn't sticking. If the dough starts to shrink back, let
it rest for 5 minutes and then continue rolling.
Method #3: Pizza Baked on a Baking Sheet: Brush a thin film
of olive oil on a baking sheet. Working with one piece of the dough at a
time, form it into a large disk with your hands and lay it on the
baking sheet. Use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten the dough until
it is 1/4-inch thick or less. If the dough starts to shrink back, let
it rest for 5 minutes and then continue rolling.
4. Top the pizza: Spoon a few tablespoons of sauce
into the center of the pizza and use the back of a spoon to spread it
out to the edges. Pile on all of your toppings.
5. Bake the pizza: Using a pizza peel or the back
side of a baking sheet, slide your pizza (with the parchment or with the
cornmeal) onto the baking stone. If you don't have a baking stone, bake
the pizza right on the baking sheet. Cook for 5 minutes, then rotate
the pizza. Slide the parchment out from under the pizza, if used. Bake
for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the crust is golden-brown and the
cheese looks toasty.
6. Slice and serve: Let the pizza cool slightly on a cooling rack, just until you're able to handle it. Slice it into pieces and serve.
Additional Notes:
•
How To Make Pizza on the Grill: Great for a smoky flavor and extra-crispy crust.
•
Pizza on the Stove top: Try this method when you don't want to h
eat up the kitchen.
