Homemade Pizza
I have been making homemade pizza for almost thirty years. It is one of my favorite foods to make as well as eat. Not until the last couple of years have I finally figured out how to make the best crust to my liking and how to make a delicious sauce that is very simple and easy. My preferred way of baking pizza is on a baking steel in a 500 degree oven or on a ceramic pizza stone on a 400 degree outdoor grill. I try to use the best ingredients in my pies and have found that using quality flour and proofing the dough for more than 24 hours makes a big difference and produces a delicious crispy crust. My go to flour is King Arthur Bread flour or Napoli Italian 00. Good quality mozzarella cheese, either shredded or natural, is the second key ingredient for my pizzas. For toppings I have found slicing stick Boar’s Head brand pepperoni is my favorite. You can slice it thicker than store sliced packaged pepperoni. I purchase Italian sausage from a local Italian grocer. I choose extra toppings depending on the season and local availability.
Sauce Ingredients
• 1-28 oz. can Cento (or equivalent) peeled whole or diced San Marzano tomatoes
• 1-6 oz. can Cento (or equivalent) tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 1-Tbs. sugar or honey
• 1-Tbs. dried oregano (fresh in summer)
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil (fresh in summer)
• 1/4 Tsp. kosher salt
• 3-cloves sautéed minced garlic
Sauce Directions
In a ceramic or plastic bowel combine all ingredients and blend using an emulsion blender for approximately 15 seconds or until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 24 hours to produce the best flavor.
Dough Ingredients
• 4 cups BREAD flour
• 1 tsp. sugar or honey
• 1 packet instant dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp. if bulk)
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F.
• 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus 2 tsp.
Dough Directions
With a KitchenAid dough hook mixer combine in the metal mixing bowl 3 cups of bread flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add two Tbs. olive oil. Run mixer to combine. Put mixer on second slowest mixing speed and add water slowly into bowl until the dough forms a ball and becomes tacky. Add the additional cup of bread flour and run mixer for additional 4-5 minutes. I have found using a rubber spatula helps in scraping the sides of the bowl while the mixer is on. If the dough is too dry and flaky add about a Tbs. water and continue mixing until smooth and tacky.
When mixing is complete, remove the dough from the hook attachment and form the dough into a ball shape in the metal bowl. Pour the two additional Tbs. olive oil over the top, and with your hands form a round ball and flip the dough over covering with a light coating of olive oil. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 24 hrs. The dough will double in size. I have found this proofing process the trick to producing a wonderful dough for a delicious sweet crispy crust.
Baking directions
Place your baking steel or pizza stone in the oven on the second highest rack. Having higher in the oven produces more heat because heat rises. Heat your oven to 500 degrees F. Let your pizza stone (I use a pizza steel) heat for at least half an hour to get very hot before baking. Prepare your work surface with flour. If your dough was refrigerated let it sit at room temperature for 1 hr. Punch down the dough in your bowl and divide into quarters. To form the pizza, shape the dough into a ball and with your rolling pin roll out the dough (the thinner the dough the crispier the crust). Lift up the dough with your hands and stretch it. Pushing the dough to the sides creating a crust. On a wood pizza peel (an air bake cookie sheet will work if you do not have a wood peel) sprinkle 1Tbs. cornmeal and spread with your fingers to cover the peel. This helps to transfer the pizza to the heated baking surface. The cornmeal acts like little ball bearings which assist in the transfer process. Place the finished dough onto the pizza peel. Spoon your tomato sauce onto the dough and with the back of the spoon smooth the sauce. Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and add desired toppings. Open the oven door and gently guide the pizza onto the heated baking surface. Be careful to not touch anything. It will be very hot! Give the peel a little jerk with your wrist, and it will easily slide onto the stone. Bake for 15 min. Keep an eye on the pizza through the oven window, but resist opening the door to not lose heat. When the pizza is done, place peel under pizza and remove from oven. Cut pizza into even pieces with a roller cutter or stainless steel pizza rocker knife on the wooden peel or cutting board. If you make a lot of pizzas the rocker knife is a must. Enjoy your pizza!
