Pizza Pizza! (Jan 14, 2006)

[Alix]

OK everyone, lets all do a pizza night on Saturday January 14, 2006. I plan to make mine pretty traditional. I will post my dough recipe shortly, (just have to find it!) but my tomato sauce is easy:

1 small tin tomato paste
1 large tin tomato sauce
minced onion
about 2 tbsp oregano

I top this with assorted meat and cheese and Voila!

Who wants to join me?

 

[texasgirl]

I've never made homemade pizza, but, if I can find a recipe for it, I will do it too!!

 

[Dina]

Count me in Alix! Pizza sounds great for Saturday. I'll just add some roasted garlic and onion in my sauce which has been a hit with my meals lately. We usually have it with Canadian bacon, pepperoni slices and lots of mozzarella. Then perhaps we can all meet at the virtual cafe.

 

[Piccolina]

I'm all for it Alix, though I'll be going very easy on the cheese and probably using whole wheat flour in the crust Have to ponder what else to put on it....

 

[MJ]

Pizza pizza!

Count me in Alix! What a great way to kick off this new forum. I will be doing an overnight rise with my crust - it's much better that way.

I've never made homemade pizza, but, if I can find a recipe for it, I will do it too!!

Here is good recipe for the base.

Pizza Crust

Ingredients 2 Packages yeast (This equals 1/2 oz. or 4 and 1/2 tsp.)
2 teaspoons sugar
4 cups of flour or more
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil (if available use, Extra Virgin)
1 and 1/2 cups of warm water

Directions:

1. Put yeast and sugar in a cup. Add 1/2 cup of water. The water should be
between 100 and 110 degrees. Mix well. Wait about 5 minutes for the yeast and
sugar to activate.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, olive oil, 1 cup of warm water
and the yeast mixture. Mix this with a fork to get all the liquid
absorbed by the flour.

3. Place a handful of flour on a pastry board or mixing surface. Dust your hands
and spread out the flour. Empty the contents of the bowl on to the flour.

4. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes or until the texture is smooth and uniform.
If the dough seems a little sticky, add a little more flour. One method to
knead, is to lean on the dough with the palm of
your hand. Press the dough to the mixing surface. Fold the dough and repeat.

5. Place the dough in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Place bowl in draft
free area and cover with a damp cloth.

6. Let the dough rise for about an hour. Punch down the dough and wait about 45 minutes (or do an overnight rise in the fridge if you have time). Your dough is now ready.

7. Cut the dough in half (for 2 pizzas) or quarter (for 4 thin pizzas).
8. Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll out on a floured pastry board until
the dough is the desired shape. Keep using flour, so the dough won't stick.

9. Dust a cookie sheet with corn meal. (Oil will work ok, but the dough will be
greasy.) Use a spatula and slide the dough onto the cookie sheet.

10. If you have a peel, assemble pizza on a peel dusted with corn meal. Or assemble the pizza on a floured board and slide the peel
underneath when finished! Then use the peel to place the pizza on the
pre-heated pizza stone. (This is the absolute best way to make pizza! When you use a a cookie sheet or pizza stone pre-heat the oven for at least 50 minutes to an hour at 500 degrees to cook your pizza)

I cook my pizza at 550F for about 8 minutes or os.... *It really helps if you have a pizza stone.

 

[mudbug]

Rats! I have heard of MJ's extraordinary pizza-fabricating abilities.

Unfortunately, we have my company's holiday party scheduled for the same evening. (ETA: yeah, we're talkin' the whole 9 yards - suit on HH, pantyhose for me, other unmentionable and constricting garments........but door prizes promised for later on)

Must cut and paste and report back another day.

 

[Corinne]

Pizza - ain't nothin' better! Does anyone have a great recipe for a white sauce. My favorite pizza place makes their own white cheese sauce & the most I can get from them is that it's Alfredo Sauce - but it's not like what I think of as Alfredo - it's milder, for lack of a better way to describe it.

 

[shannon in KS]

Pizza - ain't nothin' better! Does anyone have a great recipe for a white sauce. My favorite pizza place makes their own white cheese sauce & the most I can get from them is that it's Alfredo Sauce - but it's not like what I think of as Alfredo - it's milder, for lack of a better way to describe it.

I have made a sauce similar to alfredo, rather subbing mozz for the parmesan. White pizza is our favorite here!

 

[texasgirl]

I cook my pizza at 550F for about 8 minutes or os.... *It really helps if you have a pizza stone.

Cool!! I DO have a pizza stone. The problem is, I only have one and the guys can eat 2 large pizza's at a setting.

 

[Alix]

Oooo! MJ, I forgot about your overnight rise dough! I think I will give that a try too. Texasgirl, if you are going to be going through a lot of pizza then save yourself some trouble and buy the premade pizza shells. You can put two on a cookie sheet and while the hoards are devouring the first batch the second can be in getting all melty and gooey. You can even let the "hoards" top their pizzas to order. My crew like that a lot.

I think I'll be doing some paper thin slices of garlic on top of the sauce, then salami, pepperoni, bacon and lotza mozza. I'll put some pineapple on the side for Ken and some olives on the side for me.

mudbug, why don't you do yours either Friday or Sunday. That would count in my book.

 

[MJ]

Cool!! I DO have a pizza stone. The problem is, I only have one and the guys can eat 2 large pizza's at a setting.

No problem! Just remember to pre-heat your oven for at least 45 minutes with the stone in it. Follow the recipe I posted (*Cut the dough in half for 2 pizzas) and cook one pizza pie right after the other is done.

If you want to make your pizza taste like the ones from your local pizzeria, it really helps to have a pizza peel to slide it on and off of the stone after you let your dough rise overnight.

The stone serves to provide significant and sudden heat to the dough to aid in its rise as it cooks. The stone is also porous so it absorbs moisture from the dough, which in turn produces a crisp crust, or that 'crunch' when you cut it...

 

[Corinne]

BLT Pizza - TNT

This is always a huge hit. I've made it many, many times.

BLT Pizza

1 Boboli pizza crust
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1 pound bacon, diced & cooked
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded Pizza Blend cheese (Cheddar & Mozzarella)
1 1/2 cups lettuce, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

Instructions: Place the crust on a pizza stone.

In a bowl, combine mayo, basil, garlic & onion powders; spread over crust.

Sprinkle cheeses and bacon on crust.

Bake at 425º for 8-12 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Top with lettuce & tomatoes. Serve immediately.

 

[mudbug]

mudbug, why don't you do yours either Friday or Sunday. That would count in my book.

Thanks, Alix - I will try to remember and do it Sunday. May not happen - I totally forgot about an Internet chat with my cousins this last Sunday night.

 

[Alix]

Texasgirl, did you find a recipe you like for pizza? Do you need some help? I'm around a bunch this morning if you want help.

Corinne, did you find a white sauce recipe?

And I am not sure what the chain stores are like from place to place, but I happened to notice when I was at Safeway the other day that they have 15 inch pizza stones on sale for under $10. Major bargain! I had my hands full or I would have grabbed one. I think I will pop by there before Saturday so I can be ready for however many "extras" might end up being at our table. LOL. Anyone else notice that phenomenon? You make pizza and your kids/spouse/whoever invites someone extra over? Happens a lot here. Often I will invite my Mom because she LOVES homemade pizza and now that she is alone she doesn't make it for just herself anymore.

 

[texasgirl]

Alix,
I think I'll use MJ's recipe this time, sounds easy enough.
Next time, I'm using sourdough. I have to get a starter going though.
Can you use Alfredo sauce in a jar, or is it too runny? I would like to do spinach alfredo. What cheese do you think they use?

Now, if I can find this pizza peel that MJ is talking about. I don't know if Walmart out here would have one. We don't have ANY kind of specialty places near me,so, I may have to deal with what I have.
Can't wait to see if it turns out okay.

 

[texasgirl]

MJ, what kind of yeast? Active, dry?

 

[MJ]

MJ, what kind of yeast? Active, dry?

You will need active dry yeast and make sure it's fresh. I would suggest you make the dough Friday and let it rise overnight in the fridge too. The next day you could let it warm to room temp, punch it down and use it - or you could let it rise again for a second time.

 

[texasgirl]

Thanks, MJ!!

 

[MJ]

Now, if I can find this pizza peel that MJ is talking about.

If you do use a pizza peel, make sure it doesn't stick when you are assembling your pizza. Use cornmeal or enough flour and slide it back and forth on the peel just to make sure when you make it. I went to slide my pizza into the oven one day and all the toppings and cheese came off on the stone, but my dough stuck to the peel... what a mess that was.

 

[texasgirl]

If you do use a pizza peel, make sure it doesn't stick when you are assembling your pizza. Use cornmeal or enough flour and slide it back and forth on the peel just to make sure when you make it. I went to slide my pizza into the oven one day and all the toppings and cheese came off on the stone, but my dough stuck to the peel... what a mess that was.

i know it wasn't funny at the time,but, it sounds like a three stooges episode!
Is a wood one better?