Really good Homemade Pizza

I hope that doesn't make me sound vain that I think my pizza is really good, but all of my guests agree (or lie). :)

*updates 4/20/2015

I started making pizza dough (I think) in 2006 before my twins were born, but it could have been right after - I know for their first birthday - Jan '08 - (I can't call it a party because I don't do 1-year old parties), we had pizza since their birthday fell on a Friday night - and I had been making homemade pizza on Friday nights for a while at that point.

Regardless, homemade pizza has been a tradition for Friday nights in our family for several years now.

I am not perfect at it, but just look at this - don't you want to grab a slice and eat it right now??

The only thing I would still like to improve on is making the dough so that it can be tossed without tearing - but no matter how much more I knead the dough or do slow cold rises, etc, nothing has worked and it's just as easy (and fun with my new french rolling pin) to roll it out - I just have to 'fix' the crust to be prettier when I roll it.

* I usually just stretch it in the air each week. Takes about 1 minute/crust.

Beth’s Homemade Pizza (Dough)

Ingredients:

6-7 cups all purpose flour (if you use bread flour or whole wheat, it will take less)

2T sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp yeast (for cold slow rise) or *1T (for immediate rise) - or 1 packet for either

¼ cup oil

2 cups warm water (sometimes 1 3/4 cup)

1 jar pizza sauce (or recipe)

Toppings (optional)

24-32 oz mozzarella cheese

*I now use high gluten flour bought for $10 for 25 lbs from bulk food store near me. Much better elasticity and texture! I use exactly 6 loose cups scooped. (1Tbsp yeast and water same. It's better to over estimate water than under. It's easier to add in more flour. Adding in water is a mess.)

This recipe makes 3 (12-14”) pizzas

In stand mixer* with dough hook, mix dry ingredients (using 5 cups of flour). 

Add liquid ingredients.  

Mix until  dough clings to hook and forms a soft ball, adding 1-2 cups more flour as needed. 

Knead several minutes in stand mixer. 

Then pull out, knead by hand a little to form a smooth ball. Separate into parts and make 3 smooth balls.

* update: I rarely knead by hand after anymore. With the high gluten flour, 7 minutes in my kitchen aid with dough hook is perfect. I just divide and smooth the balls. Cover with plastic wrap to rise fastest.

Cover and place in refrigerator 2 days. (or rise 45 minutes) 

Pull out to return to room temperature 20 minutes before making pizza if refrigerated.

Roll, toss, or stretch each ball into a circle, 
Update: *(If you're gonna roll, here's how, but stretching is still easy and gives better texture after baking.)

place on pizza screen/pan,

Another Option is to put something in those crusts when folding them over - like cheese!

(We've even tried cheese and bacon - inspired by the crazy epic meal time guys.)

top, cheese, and bake in 550° oven for about 7 minutes.
*update: We recently moved and my oven in new house takes 6 minutes (and sometimes 5 1/2 on last pizza)!

*note - we put our toppings under the cheese since some of them will burn quickly.

Cool for about 5 minutes before trying to slice. Enjoy!

I'm particular about my crust texture-

*Can also do recipe by hand without stand mixer. I made this by hand until the beginning of 2009 when I got a kitchenaid. By hand, you can use the same method or proof the yeast first as in other bread recipes. Doing it this way just makes it a little harder to kill/not activate the yeast with too hot/too cold water.

bacon/cheese stuffed crust