Homemade Pizza
- Ready In:
- 1hr 35mins
- Ingredients:
- 20
- Serves:
-
4-6
ingredients
- 1⁄2 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
- 1⁄2 cup water (105 F to 115 F)
- 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 3⁄4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can whole canned tomatoes, undrained
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed
- 1⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1⁄2 small red bell pepper, cored and seeded
- 1⁄2 small green bell pepper, cored and seeded
- 4 fresh medium mushrooms
- 1 3⁄4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1⁄2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1⁄3 cup sliced black olives
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
directions
- To proof yeast, sprinkle yeast and 1/2 tsp sugar over warm water in small bowl; stir until yeast is dissolved.
- Let stand 15 minutes or until mixture is bubbly.
- (If yeast does not bubble, it is no longer active. Always check expiration date on yeast packet. Also, water that is too hot will kill yeast, it is best to use a thermometer.) Place 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 tsp salt in medium bowl; stir in yeast mixture and 1 tbsp oil, stirring until a smooth, soft dough forms.
- Place dough on lightly floured surface; flatten slightly.
- To knead dough, fold dough in half toward you and press dough away from you with heels of hands.
- Give dough a 1/4 turn and continue folding, pushing and turning.
- Continue kneading, using as much of the remaining flour as needed to form a stiff, elastic dough.
- Shape dough into a ball; place in a large greased bowl.
- Turn to grease entire surface.
- Cover with clean kitchen towel and let dough rise in warm place 30 to 45 minutes until doubled in bulk.
- Press 2 fingertips about 1/2 inch into dough.
- Dough is ready if indentations remain when fingers are removed.
- For sauce, finely chop tomatoes in can w/knife, reserving juice.
- Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add garlic; cook 30 seconds more.
- Add tomatoes and juice, tomato paste, oregano, basil, remaining 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium low.
- Simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
- Pour into small bowl; cool.
- Punch dough down.
- Knead briefly (as described in step 3) on lightly floured surface to distribute air bubbles; let dough stand 5 minutes more.
- Flatten dough into circle on lightly floured surface.
- Roll out dough, starting at center and rolling to edges, into 10-inch circle.
- Place circle in greased 12-inch pizza pan; stretch and pat dough out to edges of pan.
- Cover and let stand 15minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Cut bell peppers into 3/4-inch pieces.
- Wipe mushrooms clean w/damp kitchen towel and thinly slice (trim stems if desired).
- Mix mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in small bowl.
- Spread sauce evenly over pizza dough.
- Sprinkle with 2/3 cheeses.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Then remove from oven and raise oven temp to 400°F (200°C).
- Arrange bell peppers, olives, mushrooms, and chicken on top of pizza.
- Sprinkle remaining cheeses on top, and bake at new oven temp for a further 10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted, and looks done.
- Tips: The oven temps I've given are truly from my own experience.
- The recipe says to put all toppings on together, and bake at 450°F for 20minutes.
- According to me, that will make your pizza look done, or a little over done, but the dough will still be a little undone.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Originally a Pakistani, born and brought up in Saudi Arabia, and now living in the UAE. So u can imagine how many different cultures I hv blended into my personality, and how many different flavours that brings!