Homemade Pizza

This posts has been long requested by some close friends and family that love my homemade Pizza and have been begging me to give them the recipe. I have of course already given them the recipe but... seeing in believing.

For the record, I'm not Italian so my method my not be authentic. You know my take on authenticity. This is how I make my pizza, It's delicious and my friends and family love it..
To me that's all that matters.  So here it is..
With my previous bread recipes I'd had a few people who say (make excuses!) that they cannot make the bread because they do not have a electric mixer.

I have been kneading these things by hand for a really long time people; that excuse is not acceptable! I have had my mixer now for less than a year. Really!

I know a few friends who do not have an electric mixer and since this recipes is for them! I'm going to knead it by hand. Ah the things I do to convince you......!

Makes two 12 inch pizzas

Here's what you will need:

For the Dough
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Instant Yeast or 20 grams fresh yeast.
1 tbsp salt
Approx 500 grams of All purpose flour.

For the Pizza
Tomato Sauce (I'll post my recipe tomorrow)
Toppings
Mozzarella cheese - approx 100 to 200 grams grams for each pizza. You can add more or less.

Method:

Warm the water (100F) I usually just stick a clean finger in to make sure it's warm not hot..
Add in the sugar, olive oil yeast.
Stir and set aside for five minutes.

After 5 minutes this is what your mixture should look like. This means your yeast is activated.
Add in the salt and stir.

In an electric mixer - just  place 3/4 of your flour and the liquid into your bowl with hook attachment.
Mix on medium until it all comes together. Add in more flour as needed.

By hand
Place about 3/4 of the flour in a bowl. Make a well in the center and pour the Yeast.
Use a wooden spoon or your hands and start to mix in the liquid.

Add more flour so it all comes together.
Once most of the flour is incorporated, use your hands and 

Drop all the mixture on to a floured working surface.
Add more flour as needed to make a smooth dough.

Knead well with the heal of your hands, turning the dough a quarter turns as you continue to knead. Add only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking.
You want a smooth, soft but not overly sticky dough.
I usually use about 500 grams flour

In an electric mixer - use the lowest setting with hook attachment and let is knead for about 7 to 8 minutes.
By hand - it will take about 10 minutes.

As before with all my other bread recipes - Here's the finger  test I do.. 
You see how  I press with my finger deep in?

Lift your finger and the dough springs back in place. No no... this is the correct picture. This is how smooth your dough should be kneaded.
It's been a long time since I have kneaded my pizza dough by hand. So I'm quite proud of myself.

Divide the dough into two and form into a ball and place them in two oiled bowls.
Cover with plastic, set aside in a warm place and let rise for about 1 to 1 1/2 hour.
My kitchen is warm in summer so it usually takes about 45 minutes.

Ready to make Pizza?
Here's my pizza ingredients for today.
The Dough has risen double in volume.
Preheat the oven - 230C/460F -
If you are using a pizza stone place the stone into the oven before you switch the oven on.
The Pizza stone does take a long time to get really hot so make sure you give it at least 20 minutes to heat up.

Don't forget the Mozzarella cheese- I buy a log of it and then grate it myself. It's best never to buy the pre-grated it's not the same...

Invert the dough on to a floured surface. You can use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large disc.
But as time goes by you attempt to do things the right way..
I'm not Italian so obviously my method is not authentic but this is how I do it..

With the tips of my fingers I form a border. 

 Then I lay both hands flat inside the border and stretch the dough in all directions.

As you can see - mines still doesn't come very smooth but --- the base gets covered with sauce and toppings anyways!

 I transfer my pizza base to the back of my baking sheet which I dusted with lost of flour or cornmeal.
If you are not using a pizza stone, just place the base inside your baking tray.

Spread tomato sauce,

Grated or sliced Mozzarella cheese on top.
Add toppings if you want.
If you are using a Pizza stone - shake the pizza from the back of your pan onto the pizza stone.
If your not using a pizza stone - bake on a baking tray for about 10 to 12 minutes.

Here's the first pizza

And the second.

Here's one that has been baked on a baking tray not a pizza stone.
The difference is the color of the border and the crispiness of the base. To some this means a lot and to some they don't care.
My son prefers his pizza not crispy so I bake his on a baking tray usually. Preference!

This pizza doesn't look much to you but to mean it's beautiful because my son helped shape and make it.. Not round but......he's five..and he loves to help me in the kitchen

And that's how I make my Pizza. Nothing like the fresh taste of homemade.
Hope you try it.

Thanks for stopping by.