I think the food that I crave most often is pizza. Then margaritas, then Thai food. In that order. Luckily, the #1 craving is extremely easy and delicious to make at home. Even easier than margaritas, if you can believe it (all that business about lime juice and triple sec in perfect proportion to tequila-- it's a mystery). And if you make your own crust and sauce, the tastier it'll be. But don't get intimidated, because you can segment your tasks, and when it comes time to actually bake and eat it, you'll be satisfied in minutes flat. So, here's how to make pizza in five easy steps, steps which do not necessarily need to be completed in proximity to one another.
1. Dough. This is the hard part, if you can call it hard. If you haven't worked with yeast, or kneaded dough, it may intimidate. But look at it this way. If you've always wanted to learn how to make bread, perhaps pizza dough is the best way to start because a) you only let it rise once and b) it makes no difference how ugly it is-- you'll be slathering it with toppings. So:
Pour a packet of yeast into a measuring cup (the large Pyrex kinds with a handle and spout are best, so you've got room to spare). Without yet filling the measuring cup, get the hot water going with your finger under it until you reach a temperature comparable to that of a hot tub or bath. Fill the measuring cup to 1 1/3 cups. Let sit under the stove light, or even in the oven with the light on for five-ten minutes so that the yeast will re-awaken. Meanwhile, measure 4 cups flour (feel free to substitute half with wheat), 2 Tbsp. veg or olive oil, and 1 tsp. salt into a bowl. When the yeast/water is foamy and bubbly, add to the flour mixture. Mix well with your hands, and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead for ten minutes (you'll work up a sweat). Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for two hours. I usually stick my rising dough back in the oven with the light on, and hey, if you need to get ready for work, give it as much time as you can; in my case, an hour. When you're flying out the door, stick the dough in an air tight plastic bag and throw it in the fridge.
2. Sauce. So easy. Roughly slice, chop, or crush as many garlic cloves as you desire. Let sizzle lightly in a Tbsp. olive oil for a minute or two. Add a can of chopped tomatoes. Season to taste with your favorite herbs (some of my faves: a touch of rosemary, liberal oregano, basil, a touch of cinnamon, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes). Be sure and add a teaspoon or two of sugar. This cuts the acidity. Pour the lot into the blender and blend. Some may prefer to leave it chunky, but I don't want to interfere with the toppings.
3. Prepping the dough. You'll want to take it out of the fridge a fair while before it's time to bake; I'd say a half an hour or so. If you're planning on baking soon, set the dough (still in the bag, or on a pan) on top of the stove while it pre-heats (to 400 degrees). This'll soften the dough more quickly. When it gets malleable, squish and push and squeege the dough outward on a cookie sheet that has been greased or sprinkled with cornmeal until its big and flat-- no thicker than a quarter inch. I only put this as its own step because it takes a while for the dough to soften after being cold.
4. Toppings! This is the best part. First off, get fontina cheese instead of mozzarella. I read this once for a lasagna recipe and I will never, ever go back. Fontina is to a Moonstruck Chocolate truffle as mozzarella is to the waxy, tasteless chocolates you find in an advent calendar. Trust me on this one. But as for the rest of your toppings, the sky is truly the limit. See how many old things in the back of your fridge or cupboards you can use up for a topping. Canned pineapple? Pine nuts? Basil from the garden? Some mushrooms on the verge of funkiness? Maybe even some fruit? I've heard some intriguing things about the combo of pears and blue cheese. Have it your way. My own concoction pictured here consists of onions, red bell pepper, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and parmesan.
5. Bake. I'm bad at giving times. People like their food different ways. But here's what to look for: bubbling cheese that's just beginning to brown. Fifteen, maybe eighteen minutes. Then it's done. Remove from oven. Let cool if you can bear it. Enjoy. You deserve it: you built it from scratch!
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