Homemade Pizza from Scratch

In my efforts to learn domestication, I searched the internet for ways to make homemade things, that is, from SCRATCH. 

Let's be honest. Who wants to take the time to make things from scratch anymore? It's much easier to buy the $6 frozen pizza, heat it up, and enjoy the evening. 

I agree, it's easier to do that. It takes a good work ethic to commit to standing on your feet for two hours while you pound out dough and wait an hour for it to rise. Or to chopping up half a dozen apples for Homemade Apple Crisp. Not to mention all the clean up from your kitchen escapades.  

I've heard it's much easier on the budget to make things from scratch, so I tried it out. Homemade Pizza Dough and Sauce. Healthy, too. Sorry for the lack of pictures (I'm late to the Instagram craze for my lack of an iPhone), but it was delicious. We added mozzarella cheese, bacon pieces, pepperoni, and green bell pepper (the bacon probably decreased the healthy factor). Recipe below - I encourage you to try it! I heard 3 rousing choruses of happy men say "That is the best homemade pizza I've ever had!"

A few pointers: When making the dough, use way more flour than you think is necessary. It's a mess at first to knead it in, but once you finally get that beautiful little ball of dough, you'll be oh so proud.

And remember to pre-bake your pizza dough for about 10 minutes BEFORE putting your toppings on it. I forgot this step. Mine came out being more of a thick flatbread rather than a thin and chewy pizza crust, yet it was still very tasty.

Homemade Pizza Dough:

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

 In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.

Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.

Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and bake the dough for  10-15 minutes before topping and baking it.

Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

And the BEST part of the pizza, in my opinion, is the sauce. The key ingredients to making this awesomesauce (any Parks & Rec fans out there?) are the anchovies and fresh oregano. Oregano, I found, makes that signature pizza sauce flavor. 

My fiancee was very grateful for the pinch of baking soda I added, too. I heard it's supposed to cut down the acidity of the sauce and help prevent heartburn, of which he is a chronic sufferer. If you're making the pizza dough, start your sauce once you set the dough aside to rise. Both will be done around the same time. 

Homemade Pizza Sauce

Ingredients (makes about 3 cups):

3 tbsp olive oil

2 anchovy filets

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 can (28 oz) whole peeled “San Marzano” tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp sugar

very small pinch baking soda

Cook Olive Oil over medium heat, add Anchovy Filets and Minced Garlic.

Add Fresh Oregano, reduce heat to low. Add Red Chili Flakes and Dry Oregano.

San Marzano tomatoes: crush by hand in a separate bowl.

Add tomatoes to sauce, cook over medium heat.

Add Salt, Sugar, Black Pepper.

Simmer for 35-40 minutes.

Add pinch baking soda to reduce acidity (and heartburn).

Spread over dough!

Happy pizza-making!