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See Just Add Water section for a storage "Pantry Pizza".....
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Pizza beginnings....I was 10 years old and visiting my aunt and uncle in Salt Lake City when I first tasted pizza. They had ordered this 'newest popular food' and wanted me to try it. I liked it right away even though it was quite different from what I was used to eating. It was a simple pizza with
just sauce and cheese. The closest thing Italian I had ever eaten up to that point was spaghetti
that my Mom made.
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Easy Way Pizza
This could be made with all white or unbleached flour, but we like to put in some wholewheat
flour. [Personally prefer 2 c. whole wheat flour + 1 c. unbleached flour].
Put into a **gallon zip-loc bag:
1 T. dry yeast
3 c. white or unbleached flour (or 2 c. white/unbleached flour + 1 c. whole wheat flour)
1 tsp. sea salt or salt
1 tsp. sugar
Close/seal bag and shake to combine dry ingredients. Then add: 1 c. lukewarm water + 1 T. olive
oil or vegetable oil, close/seal bag. Squish and knead with hands until smooth dough forms. Do
you need to add water one T. at a time? Do you need to add flour one T. at a time? We want to
end up with a soft-slightly-medium dough, NOT stiff. When kneading in bag is done (it will take
about 6 to 8 minutes), keep sealed and wrap in a kitchen towel, let rise right in the zip-loc bag
until doubled, this takes around 45 minute depending upon how warm your kitchen is. Punch it
down right in bag. I like this method, and my hands stay clean! Prepare pizza pan (we use olive
oil for this). Take the dough out of bag, press/form into a circle as big as your hands can handle before setting on oiled pan. Then press dough to size you wish on the oiled pan. [Actually, this recipe will make two thin 10" to 12" crusts or one big 16" regular crust]. If it seems somewhat difficult to press out dough on oiled pan, just cover, let sit 5 minutes to rest, then press dough
again....might have to do that 2 times. Dough is now ready to add sauce* and toppings. Bake at
450º on bottom rack of oven for 8 to 12 minutes, watch carefully after 8 minutes [use a spatula to 'pull' up dough to check bottom of crust].
*easy pizza sauce: 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce, 1 tsp. garlic salt, 2 to 3 tsp. italian seasons; combine and let sit to meld flavors while making/raising the dough.
**I like to use freezer gallon bags, they are a bit stronger than just the storage type.
TIP: put dry pizza dough ingredients into bag, seal, make several bags ahead of time....then just
add liquids when ready to make pizza dough. IF you added some whole wheat flour, keep these
dry mixes in the fridge to preserve the w.w. flour.....if mix is refrigerated, let it sit out (right in bag)
for 30 minutes to come to room temperature, before adding liquids.
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NOTE: this recipe/easy dough method can be used to make bread sticks or dinner rolls...... When dough has risen to double size in bag, punch down, remove dough from bag, form bread sticks or rolls, place on greased baking pan, cover, let rise until doubled. Bake at 375º (do not bake on the bottom rack) until done/golden browned.....time will vary depending upon what you make.
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