Pizza

I make Pizza for Taylor every few weeks because it is something special that we can do together. There is a bit of a time committment but your efforts will be well rewarded so no whining.

All Good Pizza starts with the dough and there is no big secret to making it. The first step is to put a package of Dry Active Yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar in 1 1/2 cup of warm water. Set it aside and place 3 3/4 cups of flour in a large bowl. Add 1 tblspn of salt, 2 tblspns of olive oil.  After about 5 minutes add the yeast and stir the flour mixture with a spoon. It will turn into dough at this point. Sprinkle some flour on the counter and rub some on your hands. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Place one tablespoon of oil in bowl and roll the dough in the bowl until it is well coated. Cover loosely with plastic and set aside in a warm dry area to rise for about two hours.

After two hours break your dough and divide into two balls. Loosely cover them with plastic and let them sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes roll out one of the balls with a rolling pin. You can either make two pizzas or wrap the second dough ball and store in the refrigerator. It will store for about a week.

The toppings are personal and you should use your imagination. Tonight I put my homemade Vodka sauce on it and a mixture of Gouda and Parmesan Cheese. The meat is bacon and I also put some Chives on to finish it. I brushed the crust with Olive Oil and sprinkle a bit on top of the pizza before putting it in the Oven. This makes the crust golden brown and crunchy. Cook for about 13-15 minutes in a 450 degree oven on a stone that is dusted with corn meal.

Now if you really want to be creative you can cook your Pizza on the grill. To do this put your dough directly on the grill and lightly toast. Remove it from the grill and put on your board toasted side down. Add your toppings and return to the grill. Cook on medium heat for about 12 minutes. Lightly cover with aluminum foil for the last 5 minutes to ensure that the cheese will melt.