Pizza is one snack that lost low income earners consider a luxury, as they most often consume only occasionally. However, only few know that they can make Pizza at home and enjoy with family without necessarily breaking a bank.
Creating homemade pizza allows for endless creativity and customization. Here’s a simple recipe for homemade pizza creation:
Ingredients:
For the Pizza Dough:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Toppings:
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Assorted toppings of your choice (e.g., pepperoni, sliced bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives, cooked sausage, etc.)
- Optional: fresh basil leaves, grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while preheating.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast is activated and starts to foam.
- Add the flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir until a dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into two equal portions. Roll out each portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to your desired thickness.
- Transfer the rolled-out dough to a pizza peel or lightly greased baking sheet.
- Spread pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce, then add your desired toppings.
- Carefully transfer the pizza to the preheated oven (either onto the pizza stone or directly onto the oven rack if using a baking sheet).
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing. Optionally, garnish with fresh basil leaves, grated Parmesan cheese, or red pepper flakes before serving.
- Repeat the process with the remaining portion of dough and toppings, or freeze the extra dough for future use.
Enjoy your homemade pizza creation with your favorite toppings, and don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment with different flavor combinations!
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