View Large Image Pizza Recipe Get ingredients: olive oil 3 3/8 tsp yeast (traditional, not fast-rise) (or 1 1/2 packets) 20.25 oz (4 1/2 cups) flour (all-purpose) 1 1/2 tbsp sugar (white, granulated) 1 tsp salt digital scale thermometer glass measuring cup (2 cups or more) medium mixing bowl sifter large mixing bowl 1 cup 1 tbsp, 1/2 tbsp, 1 tsp (if using jar yeast: 1/8 tsp too) Make sure you have enough of the ingredients you'll need later: cheddar cheese mozzarella cheese pepperoni (if frozen, put in the microwave at 100% power for 40 seconds) tomato sauce Add to glass measuring cup: 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) water (100-110° F, 38-43° C) 3 3/8 tsp yeast 1 1/2 tbsp sugar Stir with a fork until dissolved (about 20 seconds). It's okay if there are chunks. Set aside. Place the yeast mixture somewhere that it won't be disturbed. Set a timer for 10 minutes (or until there is about an inch of foam on top). While waiting for the timer: Sift into medium mixing bowl: 20.25 oz (4 1/2 cups) flour 1 tsp salt Using a measuring cup, make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. (The well needs to be big, because the 1 1/2 cups water will be added to the well later.) Add to well: 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil Make sure the table is clean and dry. Once there is an inch of foam on top of the yeast mixture, add the yeast mixture to the well in the dry ingredients. (If there's still not enough foam after 20 minutes, you may need to redo the yeast mixture.) Stir with a fork until you can't stir any more (about 30 seconds). Dump ingredients from the mixing bowl onto the table. Knead the dough until a smooth ball forms (about 10 minutes). Make sure all the flour is incorporated into the dough. If the dough sticks to the table, sprinkle flour on the table. Clean the medium mixing bowl. Pour some olive oil into the medium mixing bowl. Using a paper towel, spread the oil around the bowl. Place the dough into the oiled medium mixing bowl. Fill the large mixing bowl halfway with very warm water (around 115° F, 46° C). Place the medium bowl into the large bowl. Cover the bowls with a clean dish towel. Set aside. Set a timer for 30 minutes (or until the dough has doubled in size). While waiting for the timer, get ingredients: cheddar cheese mozzarella cheese pepperoni tomato sauce plate grater 2 pizza pans (14-inch diameter) glazing brush Using the largest holes in the grater, grate half a brick of mozzarella cheese and about an inch of cheddar on a plate. Don't mix the cheeses together. Make sure the table is clean and dry. If there's anything in the oven, take it out. When the timer is done, set the oven to bake, 495° F (257° C). Prepare a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 1 minute. Divide the dough in half evenly. For each half: Knead the dough for about 1 minute. If it's too sticky, add more flour. Using your hands, roll the dough into a ball. Set aside. Place a pizza pan on the table. Spread olive oil on the pan (so the pizza won't stick to it). Hold the dough in the air and start stretching out the edges to make a disc shape. Place the dough on the pan. Stretch the dough with your fingers and knuckles until the dough reaches the edges of the pan and is roughly the same thickness throughout. Some dough should be sticking up at the edges to form the crust. For each pizza: Pour about 1 tbsp of olive oil on the pizza. Using a glazing brush, spread the olive oil over the entire pizza, including the crust. (If there's too much oil, dab it with a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.) Pour 5 1/2 tbsp of tomato sauce on the pizza. Using a glazing brush, spread the tomato sauce over the entire pizza, excluding the crust. Add the toppings (cheese, pepperoni, etc). For cheese pizza: sprinkle half the mozzarella and all of the cheddar on the pizza. For pepperoni pizza: sprinkle the rest of the cheese, and then cover the pizza with pepperoni. Place the pizza in the oven on the middle rack. Set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer is done, remove the pizza from the oven. Turn off the oven.
