Pizza

Pizza Dough (aka the recipe on the back of the yeast package)

2 c. flour

1 package rapid rise or pizza crust yeast (about 2 ¼ t)

¾ t. salt

1 ½ sugar

2/3 c. water that is hot to the touch

3 T olive oil

 

Mix dry ingredients. Stir in water, then oil. When dough is mixed enough to work with your hands kneed for 5 minutes. You will want to sprinkle your counter with flour to keep the dough from sticking, but don’t use more than a couple tablespoons. Let dough rest for 10 minutes on the counter.

Roll out pizza to desired size. This recipe can make one large rectangle sized pizza or two thin crust (12 inch), or one thick crust 16 in pizza.

Add toppings. Bake 425 minutes for 15-18 minutes. (18 minutes is best for toppings that have a lot of moisture like spinach or fresh tomatoes)

 

No cook pizza sauce

1 28 oz can tomatoes (diced or whole)

1 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic diced

½ t salt

½ t oregano (optional)

¼ t hot pepper flakes (optional)

 

Drain tomatoes. Pulse all ingredients in a blender or food processor until desired consistency. Makes about 2 cups. 

 

Spinach and ricotta

10 oz box frozen chopped spinach

½ c. ricotta cheese

1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

½ c. tomato sauce

¼ c parmesan cheese

-cook spinach in the microwave until thawed (5 minutes). When cool enough to handle squeeze out all the water from the spinach. Set spinach aside.

-roll out pizza. Top with sauce. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle spinach on. Using a tablespoon, drop a few dollops of  ricotta around the pizza (8 or so should be fine)

-Bake 425 degrees in the middle of the oven. When pizza comes out of the oven sprinkle on parmesan cheese.

 

Ricotta and Pesto Pizza

Spread ½ c pesto sauce on rolled out pizza crust. Sprinkle on 1c. mozzarella cheese. Dollop on 1 c ricotta cheese. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake 15 minutes.

                *Variation: replace ricotta with slices of smoked mozzarella)

 

 

Ham and Mushroom

 1 c. sliced mushrooms tossed in olive oil

2-4 oz ham, sliced into ribbons (lunch meat is fine. In Italy it would be served with procuttio)

½ c. tomato sauce

Mozzarella cheese

 

Grilled Zucchini, onion and pepperoni

1 medium sized zucchini sliced ¼ inch thick length wise

¼ of an onion sliced thinly and rings separated

Pepperoni

Tomato sauce

Mozzarella

-Spray zucchini with oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill Zucchini until cooked on a gas grill, grill pan or in a frying pan. (This makes a good side dish, so you could cook it the day before and save the leftovers for pizza today!)

-roll out pizza. Spread on sauce, then cheese. Arrange zucchini and onions and pepperoni on the pizza. No need to use a lot of pepperoni, a little goes a long way. Bake 425 15 minutes.

 

Hummmm What’s in the fridge pizza

Dig through your fridge. What vegetables are about to go bad? What leftover meat do you have? Is there any cheese that is getting moldy and needs to be used now? Throw it on a pizza. Just remember no more than 3 toppings (occasionally 4 if you count sliced onions or garlic). Typical pizzas that result from this recipe:

                -italian sausage, bell pepper, onion and black olives

                -grilled chicken, pineapple and bacon

                -bell pepper, onion and pepperoni

-cooked chorizo sausage, Mexican cheese or monetary jack, cooked spinach or kale (no sauce on this one)

-Grilled chicken, feta cheese, bell pepper, onion, sprinkle with oregano

*To kick up flavor slice up garlic and sprinkle it on any pizza.

*If you want to add parmesan cheese, do so right when the pizza comes out of the oven.