Calling all Homemade Pizza makers!!

[5kidsforME]

I need a pizza dough recipe also what kind of sauce do you put on your Pizza? We use Ragu for sphagetti but it does not make a good pizza sauce. Suggestions? Recipes? Bring it on People!

 

I want to start family Pizza Nights on Fridays but we can not afford to order Pizza, so I need to start making it.

 

I want all of your Pizza making tips!

 

Thanks! :D

[KIN]

We just buy the stuff labeled "pizza sauce". I buy the stuff in a glass jar, not a metal can. Ours is about $1.00/jar. It is near the pre-baked pizza crusts, not the spaghetti.

 

Another hint: you can make several pizzas at a time, pre bake the crust (I bake for 10 minutes), top with everything, and freeze! Thaw a bit, bake and have a great pizza without the fuss every week.

 

We've had pizza night along with our movie night for quite a while. We do buy pizza every now and then, but the homemade is just as good or better!

[Carol in Cal.]

1 little can of Contadina tomato paste

1 cup of very warm water

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. rosemary

1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. marjoram

1 tsp. dried onion flakes

 

Mix the paste and the water until it is smooth. Grind up the herbs in a mortar and pestle, and add all ingrediants to the paste mixture. That's it!

 

This is just enough for a batch of 12 little pizzas on English muffins, and I think it's about right for a 12-13 inch round pizza.

[Erica in OR]

It was recommended somewhere (naturally can't remember where). It's a can of crushed tomatoes, preferably with "tomatoes" as the first ingredient listed rather than tomato puree or anything else. I put in some olive oil and minced garlic, then let it sit while I work on rolling out the dough, cutting up stuff, etc. We've enjoyed it. A 28 oz. can covers two pizzas and leaves some for freezing.

 

Erica in OR

[I talk to the trees]

Right now, we're trying to use up our supply of cherry tomatoes from our garden. I slice them in half, or in quarters if I have the time, then add chopped fresh basil and oregano. Dh and dd love it.

 

-Robin

[CalicoKat]

I need a pizza dough recipe also what kind of sauce do you put on your Pizza? We use Ragu for sphagetti but it does not make a good pizza sauce. Suggestions? Recipes? Bring it on People!

 

I want to start family Pizza Nights on Fridays but we can not afford to order Pizza, so I need to start making it.

 

I want all of your Pizza making tips!

 

Thanks! :D

Same here! I want to get personal pizza pans for everyone to make their own. Like these, but I'm sure someone here can tell where I can get them cheaper and better, elsewhere. http://www.forsmallhands.com/store/index.php?main_page=MS_search_result&keyword=pizza+pans

[5kidsforME]

All of these sound great! Keep them coming!

[5kidsforME]

Same here! I want to get personal pizza pans for everyone to make their own. Like these, but I'm sure someone here can tell where I can get them cheaper and better, elsewhere. http://www.forsmallhands.com/store/index.php?main_page=MS_search_result&keyword=pizza+pans

 

They sure look cool. I want them now too......:D

 

I am supposedto be SAVING money here.........:tongue_smilie:

[Jen500]

I use pizza stones, and just keep them in the oven. I make the dough in my bread machine on the dough cycle. I use Ragu also, but I add some fresh or powdered garlic and some basil to the sauce. For toppings, we like a mix of cheeses-mozzarella, asiago, parmesan.

[CalicoKat]

They sure look cool. I want them now too......:D

 

I am supposedto be SAVING money here.........:tongue_smilie:

:D oh, but you will be because everyone will only want to make their own and never ever ever want to eat out again.

 

At least that's my logic.

[5kidsforME]

I use pizza stones, and just keep them in the oven. I make the dough in my bread machine on the dough cycle. I use Ragu also, but I add some fresh or powdered garlic and some basil to the sauce. For toppings, we like a mix of cheeses-mozzarella, asiago, parmesan.

 

I don't have a bread maker, bummer! I might try that with the Ragu though. Thanks. :001_smile:

[5kidsforME]

:D oh, but you will be because everyone will only want to make their own and never ever ever want to eat out again.

 

At least that's my logic.

 

I too, will go with this logic. :D

[CalicoKat]

I too, will go with this logic. :D

Here's a cool blog --with pictures --

 

I guess we won't need those pans to get started. Maybe a Christmas Gift item?

 

http://thewwchick.blogspot.com/2008/03/family-pizza-night-beer-bread-crust.html

[nukeswife]

As for the crust, I just use the same recipe I use for my homemade bread. I got the recipe with my bosch mixer from pleasant hill grain.

 

We use trader joe's pizza sauce, but have used ragu pizza sauce too. We usually find the ragu pizza sauce near the pizza crust mix in the store.

 

I usually stretch our dough and bake on a pan for about 8 minutes pull out top and bake for another 8-10 minutes. I'd love to try the pizza stone but haven't found one that's big enough for what we want. I've tried looking for unglazed tiles at home depot etc but they are all only 6" square so no where near big enough.

[OnTheBrink]

For dough, I use Grands biscuit dough. I flatten each biscuit dough to about 5" in diameter, use about one serving spoon of jarred pizza sauce, top with cheese and pepperoni and whatever else is on hand. Bake for about 15 minutes at 400* Voila! Personal pizzas--no doughy mess! And, the biscuit dough makes a nice, light pizza crust

[5kidsforME]

As for the crust, I just use the same recipe I use for my homemade bread. I got the recipe with my bosch mixer from pleasant hill grain.

 

We use trader joe's pizza sauce, but have used ragu pizza sauce too. We usually find the ragu pizza sauce near the pizza crust mix in the store.

 

I usually stretch our dough and bake on a pan for about 8 minutes pull out top and bake for another 8-10 minutes. I'd love to try the pizza stone but haven't found one that's big enough for what we want. I've tried looking for unglazed tiles at home depot etc but they are all only 6" square so no where near big enough.

 

What is your dough recipe? Thanks!

[Parrothead]

Pizza sauce is tomato sauce with some Italian seasoning tossed in. I never measure for that so I can't tell you exactly how much.

 

For crust I like either my focaccia bread mix from a box: http://www.amazon.com/Buitoni-Focaccia-Rossmary-Garlic-12-7-Ounce/dp/B000H11CEK I use that when I'm in a hurry.

 

Or if I have time for from scratch I use this recipe:

1 package of dry active yeast

1 1/3 cups warm water

3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon salt

 

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water Add the remaining ingredients and knead for about 10 minutes by hand or with dough hook. Remove dough from bowl, place in lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise about 1 1/2 hours.

 

Preheat oven to 425* Punch dough down and divide in half. Let rest loosely covered 15 minutes

 

Roll dough out on lightly greased pizza pan, brush with olive oil and top with desired toppings. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned.

[nukeswife]

My dough recipe makes enough for about 7 crusts for a 12" pizza, and is for the Bosch Universal Mixer. I'm sure it could be made my hand or scaled back for a smaller mixer.

 

Start with 4C warm water (about 115°) in your mixer, then put in 6C bread flour, pour in 2/3C oil (I use canola but you could use vegetable or olive I suppose), 1/3C honey, 1/4C vital wheat gluten, 2tbsp yeast (I use SAF instant yeast) mix well. Let sit 10 minutes or so, Then add 2C flour and 1 heaping Tbsp salt, start mixer and then gradually add up to 3 more cups of flour (I usually only add about 2 cups more) until the dough pulls away from the side of the mixer. Knead for about 5 minutes if using a mixer (may take a few minutes longer in a smaller mixer) Dump dough out on oiled coutner or cutting board, portion out. My portions are usually around 10-12oz (I weigh then with a small kitchen scale) Then I stretch 2 out to use that night and freeze the rest in baggies. I usually par bake the stretch crust for 8 min at 425° then pull out, top and bake for another 8 minutes or until the cheese it done to our liking. If using frozen dough I allow it to thaw on the counter all day and then stretch par bake, top, and bake as above. My dh has on occasion forgot to do the par bake and just stretch, top and bake. The pizza turn out fine but take about 20 minutes to cook that way.

 

 

Also for those that were looking at those little pans, I got the set of 4 from Pleasanthillgrain.com for 13.99.

[Cathy in IL]

My children like stuffed Chicago pizza. Here is a recipe we use - http://www.andreasrecipes.com/2006/06/08/chicago-style-stuffed-pizza/

 

I had a friend come by unexpectedly for dinner one night and warmed up leftovers from this recipe. She thought it was actually Giordano's pizza and was quite surprised when my dd told her it was homemade!

[5kidsforME]

YAY! Thanks everyone!!!!! I have a great foundation to get started on my pizza making quest! it is appreciated.

[Janna]

I use the dough recipe from Joy of Cooking. I'm telling you this from memory so I could be wrong here :eek::

 

In a mixing bowl, dissolve 1 pkg dry yeast into 1 1/3 cup warm water (between 105-115 degrees). After it's dissolved (about 5 min), add 2 TBSP olive oil, 1 TBSP salt, 1 TBSP sugar (optional) and 3.5-4 cups flour. Mix with a bread hook. Once it's to a dough consistency (still somewhat sticky, but the majority of the dough is not stuck to the bottom of the mixing bowl when it's mixing), place in a large bowl that's been lightly oiled (use EVOO), cover and place in a warm area until doubled in size. Punch it down, divide into two and knead/shape each one separately (to make two pizza's approx. 13 in).

 

I also use a pizza stone that has been preheated in the oven (425) and then sprinkled with corn meal. Form the dough on the stone. For sauce I use Contadina's pizza sauce (it's pretty inexpensive and in a squeezable bottle. It lasts for about 6 pizza's. Maybe more). If I had the time and my own tomatoes, I would without a doubt, make my own sauce. For toppings, it varies, but one thing I absolutely do not skimp on is using real mozzarella cheese. It makes all the difference in the world for taste. But doing it this way doesn't really make the pizzas that much less expensive than buying one on sale - like a deal of a lg. pepp. for $8.99 or something. I get my mozz. from Trader Joe's and it's $5.49 (I think?) for 16 oz, which covers 1 batch of dough or 2 pizza's. Ouch, right? But it's sooooooo much better than using packaged, shredded cheese. Bake for about 20 min or so.

 

Hope this helps!

[The Governess]

My hubby has been making pizza for years. He used to make his own dough but then they started selling refrigerated dough at trader joes for $1 and it comes out just as well so we've been using it lately.

 

My tips: use a pizza stone!!! Leave it in the oven - you want it to get nice and hot. DH rolls out the dough on a cutting board and then puts it on a cookie sheet that has been liberally sprinkled with corn meal, then puts on sauce (we just use Trader Joe's pizza sauce), cheese, and toppings. The corn meal keeps the dough from sticking to the cookie sheet and makes it easy to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone. If you don't already have one it's probably a good idea to invest in one of those huge spatula thingys - makes taking the pizza out of the oven much easier.

 

We love to put little chunks of goat cheese on our pizza. YUM. We have also done what we call an "omlette" pizza, using a cheddar cheese mix, chopped chives and olives. It really does taste like an omlette. :D

 

Have fun!! Home cooked pizza is one of our favorite meals around here.