Pizza is often the de facto convenience meal as it is so easily picked up, frozen, or delivered. The concept that even bad pizza is still pretty good keeps us eating some unhealthy and overpriced pies. Homemade pizza seems too difficult of a meal to build into a weekly meal rotation. There would be dough involved, after all.
The truth is that homemade pizza is not as difficult as you may think. Most folks get tripped up when it comes to making dough for the crust from scratch. They think, “holy cannoli, there’s yeast involved!” and that is the end for them. Here’s the secret they don’t want you to know…pizza crust is about the easiest “bread” you can make. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry and it doesn’t even have to be round.
Super Easy Pizza Crust
Yeast: The basic dry-active stuff that comes in the packets at your local supermarket, 1 packet
Flour: Whole wheat, bread, All-purpose - just choose one and use 2 ½ cups of it
Water: 1 cup of warm water from the tap (110 degrees F)
Sugar: 1 teaspoon
Salt: 1 teaspoon
Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons, you know, to make it Italian
Preheat your oven and your pizza stone, if you have one, to 450 degrees. Proof the yeast with the sugar and warm water. The proofing will take about 10 minutes. Once proofed, add the flour, oil, and salt; mix. You can use a stand mixture with the proper attachment or do this by hand.
Once you have a ball of dough, let rest for five minutes, you probably both need some rest by now! Sprinkle some flour on a flat surface and coat your rolling pin or hands. Roll or spread your dough out to a “circle” or shape that is roughly 12 inches in all or most directions. Now you may transfer your dough to a pizza pan or onto a peel/parchment paper to add toppings so that it can be transferred onto the pizza stone. Bake for 12-15 minutes but keep a close eye on your baby, things can go from melty to burnt quickly.
Home-Make it Your Own
A quick search on the internet will provide any novice or pro with any style of pizza crust they desire. Whether you are searching for a beginner crust like the one above, a yeast-less crust, a gluten-free option, or maybe a crust you don’t even have to make yourself, there is a way for you to make your own pizza.
Consider the wide world of pre-made crusts both traditional and non-traditional. Of course, there are ready-made crusts, or refrigerated and frozen doughs all available for convenience. These crust options are a perfect gateway to experimenting with homemade pizza.
Let us travel into an alternate pizza dimension where crusts are not always crusts; sometimes they are English muffins, tortillas, French bread, or any topping delivery vessel you can dream up. The perfect homemade pizza is the one you make your way with the ingredients you like. A keto-friendly cauliflower crust pizza with Thai-peanut sauce, chicken, and Asian slaw might be your perfect ‘za. Naan with traditional tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil might be your jam.
Assemble the Toppings
Here are some tips for making the perfect homemade pizza. There is a lot of room for creativity in homemade pizza-making If the toppings are assembled correctly and the base of your pizza can support them.
Believe it or not, the order of toppings on a pizza does have some science and practicality behind it all. Firstly, a sauce is easier to spread on a flat dough than it is on top of lumpy cheese, so sauce goes first. Next, throw on the cheese. It is not advisable to put toppings under the cheese as they could introduce extra moisture to the crust and leave mushy spots. The cheese and toppings should have direct heat from the oven so that they become slightly toasted and browned by the oven to enhance the flavors.
Pizza Party
Homemade pizza is healthier and less expensive than its counterparts. You now have the knowledge to make homemade pizza more delicious than any take out slice you have ever had. Challenge your friends to a creative pizza potluck or host a kids’ “make your own pizza” night and see what they create. Pizza doesn’t have to be a convenience food anymore.
Power to the homemade pizza makers!