(Disclaimer: Experienced breadmakers must simply move on. They will find it too painful to read how I mess around with the nuances of bread-making.)
Once a week, the kids ask for pizza. To save money and time (and eat a little healthier), I make my own crust.
I got the original recipe and instructions from one of the Tightwad Gazette books years ago, but have altered it to fit what works for me (and isn’t that, after all, what Works For Me Wedesday is all about?).
Thick and Chewy, Fast and Easy Pizza Dough
1/2 – 3/4 c. warm water
1 T. dry active yeast
1 t. sugar (for the yeast)
2 c. flour (I use half whole wheat and half white, but most kids would balk at that the first time)
1 T. vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
1/2 t. salt
(also, I double and sometimes triple this for my family of six–without needing to increase the amount of yeast–and frankly, I don’t measure any of the ingredients precisely anymore. I just toss in what looks to be about right and it turns out find almost every time. But you might not want to try that the first time.)
1. Combine 1/4 c. water with yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve the yeast, set aside until bubbly about 5 minutes.
2. Mix flour and salt, then add the oil.
3. Stir the yeast mixture into the flour mixture, adding water until it forms a ball you can work with. I start with a wooden spoon and then switch to using my fingers to squish and mix. Knead for a few minutes (I just knead it in the bowl until it seems to be the consistency of, well, pizza dough). The original instructions said to cover with plastic wrap or another bowl and let stand for 10 minutes, but I go ahead and spread it into the pan(s) and let it do it’s mini-rise there.
4. While messing around with the toppings–chopping things up, calling the kids to help spread the sauce, and pulling out the cheese–the dough rises enough. I don’t preheat the oven. Instead, I stick the pizza(s) in the oven with it cold, and let the crusts rise a little more as the oven heats up.
5. Put all the toppings on and bake at 350 or 375 or 425˚ (I have a new oven, so I’m experimenting) 10 or 15 minutes (or until done–I lift with a spatula to see if it’s brown on the bottom as well as watch the cheese).
Voila. Thick and chewy, fast and easy. And cheap.
A combination that works for me.
Note: Sometimes the crust turns out less puffy.
Please visit Rocks in My Dryer for more great ideas!
My previous Works-For-Me-Wednesday Ideas:
Works for My Daughter (tent for a little solitude)
Works-for-my-Friend Wednesday (Storage for Hospital Stays)
When Life Is Crazy-Busy, Do the Next Thing
Projects Contained and Portable
Castile Soap for a Simpler Life (and blemish-free face)
Post-It Annotation for Library Books
Everyday Mom-Mobile Essentials & Travel Notebooks
Make the Most of Internet Lag Time
Storing Dishes: How Low Can You Go?
Let It Snow, Let Us Slow (Crockpot Steel-Cut Oatmeal)
17 comments
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August 7, 2007 at 11:42 pm
At A Hen's Pace
I used to do this too! It’s been awhile though. I always let my kids form the dough into their own personal pizzas–they love it.
Jeanne
August 8, 2007 at 12:16 am
Lori - Queen of Dirty Laundry
Thanks for the “recipe.” Sounds really easy!
August 8, 2007 at 12:19 am
Overwhelmed!
Yummy! I’ve been talking with my husband about hosting a “build-your-own pizza” party where I invite friends to come over and make their own personal pizzas.
I’ll print out your dough recipe and give it a try!
August 8, 2007 at 6:40 am
TCC
Sounds great! I just made pizza last night and was thinking about when the boys get older and have bigger appetites. This leads to my question…when you double or triple it, that is to make 2-3 pies I am assuming? Have you ever frozen prepared dough for a later use?
August 8, 2007 at 12:22 pm
F
…or you can buy a Boboli…:0)
August 9, 2007 at 4:36 pm
annkroeker
Hope this recipe/instruction sheet works for everyone! I should have mentioned that I always use Rapid Rise yeast.
TCC: I use a large round baking stone I got suckered into buying at a Pampered Chef party years ago for one of the pizzas, and a huge rectangular one for the other, so I suppose it depends on the size of your pans how many pizzas you get out of it. And it also depends how thick you like the crust–sometimes, when everyone seems hungry, I press it thinner and get another little pizza out of it. It usually rises enough that it doesn’t seem like a matzo cracker.
No, I’ve never frozen the dough, I don’t know how that would work. Good idea, though.
F: So true! Using Boboli sure makes it extra fast and easy! I started to go that route and have a few on hand, but I found that
a.) They were more expensive (though there were store brand options)
b.) They weren’t quite as healthy (though I did see a whole-wheat Boboli option just the other day on the Boboli rack)
c.) I can make this pizza dough recipe so fast and so easily that it doesn’t seem like any big deal. I have it done in just a few minutes, and often The Belgian Wonder just takes over from there, organizing the kids, chopping the toppings, etc.
On the other hand, if the kids were planning and making more meals on their own (which I intend to encourage more this coming year), I might go with your idea and keep some Boboli cursts on hand so that it’s simpler for them to get a yummy pizza meal in the oven and ready to eat. Thanks for stopping by!
August 22, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Toni
My daughter and I made this for lunch today. It was easy and delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
September 17, 2007 at 9:13 am
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February 18, 2009 at 9:51 pm
aimee
I love this recipe so much. It was so simple to make, and just what I was looking for. Thanks for posting it!!
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November 13, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Bryson
Ok, so my patience is waning…I’ve tried dozens of pizza dough recipes and finally, I see one that looks similar to the one I’ve been looking for–YOURS!!
So, I try it, tonight and it turns into a cracker…I used a stone–but I doubt a pan could have helped me…so I sat eating my pizza while staring at your pizza picture and it still didn’t do it for me…
…I am curious–do you use a convection oven?
if you could be so kind to tell me where I went wrong…my email address is paebo@comcast.net–thanks!!
November 13, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Bryson
also…mozzarella, right? What brand..and sauce?