2-year-old Abbey making pizza
Friday night was pizza night at our house. I make pizza from scratch, and I noticed that I had a half recipe of dough in the freezer. Easy! I am definitely not against ordering pizza. In fact, we had it Wednesday night too (I can’t pass up half-price night!). But, I have been craving homemade pizza for a while. Not to toot my own horn, but…I make really good pizza. Some might even say I make GREAT pizza. It honestly isn’t that big a deal. I’ve been making it since I was a kid. My mom makes it; my grandma makes it; it’s a family recipe. An old, German family recipe. {wink wink}
Now, Germans aren’t necessarily known for their pizza, but apparently they should be. I found out just yesterday that my grandma had never even eaten pizza until she and my grandpa got engaged. Of course, that was 56 years ago, but this recipe apparently began with her. When I look back at the original recipe (and remember making it as a kid), I see where things have been simplified. I used to be the cheese grater. That was my job. I grated the big block of mozzarella cheese that would cover 4 large pizzas. I actually still prefer freshly grated cheese to the pre-grated kind. Even though it technically tastes the same, the texture of the fresh stuff is so much better. Mmmmmm. But I digress…
After years and years of watching two amazing cooks make this fantastic meal, I am quite good at it myself. I also love sharing it with others. When someone who has never had my pizza eats it for the first time I’m always nervous. I love to share my cooking, and I have matured enough to be able to handle someone not liking something I make…sometimes I don’t like stuff I make! However, there are three exceptions to this: my rolls (also a family recipe), my chocolate pie and my pizza. If someone eats any one of these and either tells me they don’t like it or I can tell they don’t like it, I get my feelings hurt. I know. It’s silly, but these are my three absolute favorite things to make, and I pour my soul into them…I also apparently get quite dramatic when talking about them!
Every time I share this pizza I get similar comments that all massage my ego and make me feel very happy. One particular comment has always given me the same reaction. The comment is this: “Wow! You made this dough from scratch?!” My first reaction used to be: “Yes! I do. How else would I make it?” I still think that now, but I am able to temper it because I have enough life experience to know that, well, everyone doesn’t make pizza dough.
In my not substantial lifetime I have met people who burn macaroni and cheese, can barely work a microwave, literally do not know how to cook anything that doesn’t come from a can or plastic bag, or NEVER eat at home unless their meal was frozen first. Growing up, that was a foreign concept to me. I also didn’t even know pizza crust came in a tube until I was a teenager. I didn’t know there was such a thing as “Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning” in a pouch until I worked at a grocery store. I am nowhere near as good of a cook as my mother and grandmothers are/were, but there are some things that were just normal to me growing up that I have since discovered were not normal. How I was raised has served me well. Here is the main lesson I was taught regarding food/cooking/overall resourcefulness:
We can always make one! My mom and I (and my grandmothers and I) spent many days and late nights making things. Outfits, Halloween costumes, baked goods, etc. That may be why, much to the annoyance of my husband, I am still a night owl/procrastinator when it comes to seasonal projects. This has also served me in other areas. If we’re out of baking powder, I know where to look in the cookbook to find substitutions. Staple items for me are still flour, sugar, eggs, etc. instead of processed foods. Though I don’t feel like I’m cheating anymore when I use some convenience foods like Uncle Ben’s rice pouches (best ever!), I like it this way. I like to make stuff.
Now, I said I wouldn’t share recipes on this blog, but this is one that needs to be shared. This is my all-time favorite family recipe. One of these days, I’ll take nice purty pictures of the step-by-step process, but for now, the words will have to do.
Are you waiting with bated breath?!
Homemade Pizza
Heat oven to 500 F
1.5 cups hot water (not too hot, but more than warm)
1 package dry yeast (add a little pinch of sugar to help the yeast activate)
3 – 4 cups flour (divided)
1 tablespoon olive oil (or other vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon garlic salt (regular salt works too)
Instructions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, add yeast (and sugar) to water and mix. Allow to activate (the water should get a little frothy)
2. Add 2 cups of flour, the salt, and oil and mix. The dough should be sticky.
3. Gradually add flour until the dough can be turned out onto a board (or the counter)
4. Knead in remaining flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes to an hour. It can be used immediately, but it will be easier to handle if you let it sit for a while.
5. Divide dough into the number of portions needed to make your desired number of pizzas, and allow dough to rest. (5 to 10 minutes)
(NOTE: This recipe can easily make 2-16″ pizzas or 3 to 4-12″ pizzas. Can be expanded by adding more water and flour, etc. to make more dough without adding more yeast. If you want to double it, you can probably get by with only one packet of yeast, but adding another won’t hurt.)
6. Roll dough out to appropriate size for your pans and place on greased pans.
7. Spoon on desired sauce (I use a mixture of 1 small can tomato paste mixed with one can water – just fill the empty tomato paste can with water…warm works best – and add oregano, garlic salt or powder, and ground pepper to taste).
8. Add cheese and other desired toppings. (My mom sprinkles garlic salt on at this point…it’s lovely.)
9. Bake in 500 degree oven for 10 to 13 minutes until cheese is bubbly and crust is brown. Cut and serve!
My oldest daughter LOVES to make pizza. If I can keep her from eating the raw dough and the mushrooms right out of the can, she makes a pretty good pizza (as evidenced from the photo)!
My little helper eating on the job.
The Suppertime Chronicles 