Homemade Pizza

How often can you say that you made a meal from scratch? We do all the time. One of the things we eat a lot of is pizza. I can't help it, I could eat pizza six times a week. I used to think that once I grew up, I wouldn't love pizza as much as I do but it hasn't happened yet. So I am either a big kid who does all kinds of grown up things like file taxes and think about life insurance or grown ups love pizza just as much as kids do and lie about it because as a parent you want your kids to eat a variety of foods.

Homemade Pizza
Step 1: Make the cheese.
Huh? Feeling a little out of your league? Or are you one of those amazing cooks who immediately wondered if you parmasan hanging in the pantry was aged enough for pizza.

Making mozzarella is not a complicated processes. In fact, it takes less than 30 minutes. I don't use a microwave so it takes me a little longer, about 20-25 minutes. I use the Pioneer Woman's Mozzarella recipe.

I put mine in the refrigerator to firm it up while I am making the sauce and crust.

Step 2: Make the crust.
Pizza Crust (makes 2 crusts)
3 c. flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp instant yeast
1 1/8 c. warm water

Mix it with a dough hook in the Kitchen Aid.
Stretch dough onto 2 pizza stones.
I put mine in the oven at 100 degrees to rise.

Step 3: Make the Sauce
Pizza Sauce
1 jar of canned plain tomato sauce
Basil (I used dried that we grew last year)
Minced garlic (I used 2 cloves from what we grew last year)
Red Pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste
A splash of olive oil

Heat oil in pan.
Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until fregrent.
Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper.
Simmer to desired constancy.
Remove from heat.

Step 5: Assemble pizza

Remove dough from oven.
Preheat to 450 degrees
Shred cheese.
Put sauce, cheese and any desired toppings onto crust. (Feel free to add that Parmesan cheese on top.)

Step 6: Cook and Enjoy

Put pizza into oven and cook for 10-14 minutes depending on how done you like your toppings. We like our cheese just a little browned so we are on the longer end.
Remove from oven.
Slice.
Allow the pizza to cool for a few minutes on the stone. This crisps up the crust for us.
Enjoy.

Yep, even though it took about 45 minutes to make plus 15 minutes to cook and cool, I still love pizza.


This article was shared on Backyard Farming Connection, Tilly's Nest, The HomeAcre Hop, My Turn for Us, The Mind to Homestead, The Chicken Chick, Homestead Barn Hop,