Homemade Pizza

I LOVE homemade pizza. It's so fun and easy to come up with a variety of pizzas in no time. One of my least favorite things about pizza is all the melted cheese, so I especially love being able to control the amount we use.

Pizza toppings are endless. We particularly love the following combos:
- ham, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, fresh basil
- ham, pineapple, mushrooms, fresh basil
- bbq chicken, mushrooms, peppers

I have tried several different dough recipes and this is by far my favorite one. It is so fast and easy and it always produces great results. It makes enough dough for two pizzas, so I usually freeze half the dough and use it later. Just let it come to room temperature before using. Also, my oven only goes to 500 degrees, so I bake it at that temp the whole time. The instructions call for baking the pizza with toppings, but I prefer to bake the crust for 6-7 minutes first (at 500 degrees), add the sauce and toppings, and then bake the whole thing again until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.

I'm also including my favorite recipe for pizza sauce (from the same source). In a pinch I'll use a jarred sauce, but this tastes so much better.

Basic Pizza Crust
from the book 'No Need to Knead'
1 tsp. yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt

In a container that pours easily, sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir until dissolved. Put the flour, olive oil, and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Blend for a few seconds and then add the yeast and water, blending just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be slightly sticky to the touch. Dip your fingers in a little olive oil and lift the dough from the bowl, shaping it into a ball. Put the dough in an oiled bowl.

Same day method: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 60 minutes.

Overnight method: After the first rise, transfer the dough to a plastic freezer bag and seal tightly, leaving a little air in the bag. Alternatively, ignore first rise completely and place the dough directly in bag. Refrigerate overnight or up to 1 week. The dough will rise in the bag and take on a lovely, sour taste. Let the dough come to room temperature before using.

To shape and prepare pizza: Coat two 13-by-18-inch baking sheets with olive oil. Divide the dough in half and stretch each piece on a baking sheet into a 12-by-6-inch rectangle, forming a thin 1/8-inch-thick crust. Push the dough up around the edges to make a lip to hold the sauce.

To bake the pizza: Preheat the oven to 525 degrees. Place the pizza with topping on the lowest rack of the oven and increase the temperature to 550 degrees. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes.

Simply Perfect Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
16 ounces of crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of sugar

In a saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until translucent. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, the salt, and sugar and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened.

California Pizzas

This was one of my favorite meals growing up. It is easy to put together and perfect for those days when you just don't feel like cooking (or eating) meat. Plus, it's super easy to adapt this recipe based on the veggies in your fridge.

My mom used to categorize her meals according to seasons. This was definitely a summer meal. I didn't completely understand her logic as a kid, but now I do. Of course it makes sense to have lots of fresh veggies in the summer when they're cheap and plentiful, and hot, heavy meals in the winter when it's cold outside. I try to do the same thing now and it really makes meal planning that much easier.

California Pizzas

tortillas (plan on one per person; Mission flour tortillas (or something similar)-and not the kind you cook yourself-work best)
pizza sauce
italian seasoning
mozzarella cheese, grated
veggies, raw and cut into bite-sized pieces (my favorites include carrots, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, beans)
tomatoes, diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread tortillas on a cookie sheet (you don't want them touching) and bake, turning frequently, until golden brown and firm (don't over cook; if the tortillas are dark brown, they're overcooked). Meanwhile, steam veggies (layer veggies with those that take the longest to cook on the bottom) on the stove just until done. Drain. Top tortillas with a generous slathering of pizza sauce. Add veggies--enough to form a heaping mound. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and top with cheese. Bake just until cheese melts. Top with fresh tomatoes just before serving.