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Homemade pizza
Published: 11/25/2011 7:29 AM
Last Modified: 11/25/2011 7:36 AM




When it comes to my family gatherings, there is but one rule: there will be pizza.

And by pizza, I mean homemade pizza.

This is not my rule, mind you. These are the direct orders of my niece and nephew, ages 8 and 5.

They have become accustomed to the pizzas that my husband makes with them.

And it's true - homemade pizza is one of the finer things in life.

My 5-year-old nephew has actually told my sister, “Can we have pizza like Uncle Steve makes it, not like we make it?”

My poor sister dares to buy her dough for her homemade pizzas, which is a perfectly fine thing to do.

Here’s the secret. It’s not the dough that really matters. It’s the ritual of building the pizzas together and memories that they have from the last time we did it.

We made homemade pizzas Wednesday night. You might want to have a pizza night of your own this weekend with the family. It might be a good way to wind down from sale shopping.

Check local pizzerias for great dough to buy and pile on any toppings that you choose.

Or, if you want to take the long way, here is a recipe that we use:

Basic Pizza Dough
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
Pinch sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating bowl
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if necessary
Cornmeal, as necessary, for dusting pizza peel
Directions

1.In a large bowl combine yeast with water and sugar and stir well to combine. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, olive oil, and half of the flour and mix well to thoroughly combine. Add all remaining flour except 1/2 cup and mix well with your hands, working to incorporate the flour little by little. The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead dough for at least 5 and up to 7 minutes, adding enough additional flour as necessary to form a smooth and elastic dough that is not sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled 2 or 3-quart bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, usually at least 1 hour.


2.Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and if you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.

3.Divide dough into 2 portions (for 2 (12 to 14-inch) pizzas and form into balls. (See note below for calzones.) Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured surface, shape as desired and roll out to a 1/8-inch thickness.

4.Transfer dough to a pizza peel (sprinkle with cornmeal to help facilitate moving dough) and top with toppings of choice. Transfer to the preheated pizza stone and bake until crispy and golden brown, usually12 to 18 minutes (depending on the toppings and the thickness of the crust). Remove from the oven with a metal peel or spatula and serve immediately.

- adapted from Food Network, by Emeril Lagasse




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Taste

Food Writer Nicole Marshall Middleton joined the Tulsa World in May 1993 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She has covered crime, city government and general assignment beats during that time - but mostly crime. But when she isn’t at work, Nicole is a devoted food hobbyist. She enjoys meal planning and cooking with her husband, Steve, every day of the week and on holidays it’s a family affair. When the opportunity to become the food writer at the Tulsa World presented itself in the summer of 2011, Nicole jumped at it. She is excited to explore a new side of Tulsa and make the transition from crime to cuisine. .

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