Pizza is one of the world's most popular dishes. It is served at every child's birthday party, game day party, church function, and sleepover in the Western World almost. Here are some pizza ideas to keep you and your family and friends happy instead of waiting for the pizza guy(minus the tip).
Quick Pizza Sauce:Homemade Pepperoni Pizza
Quick Pizza sauce
1/2 (12 ounce) can Tomato Paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Easy Pizza Crust:
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed
2 (.25 ounce) envelopes Pizza Crust Yeast or RapidRise Yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/3 cups very warm water (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F)
1/3 cup oil
Toppings:
1 (6 ounce) package Pepperoni
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or more to taste
Add all ingredients to list
Directions
Print For sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients with 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl; set aside for flavors to develop while making crust. Freeze remaining paste .
For crusts: Combine 2 cups of flour with the dry yeast, sugar and salt. Add the water and oil and mix until well blended (about 1 minute). Gradually add enough remaining flour slowly, until a soft, sticky dough ball is formed.
Knead for about 4 minutes, on a floured surface, until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour, if needed. (If using RapidRise(R) Yeast, let dough rest, covered, for 10 minutes.)
Divide dough in half. Pat each half (with floured hands) into a 12-inch greased pizza pan OR roll dough to fit pans.
For pizzas: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Top crusts with sauce, pepperoni and cheese.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until crusts are browned and cheese is bubbly. For best results, rotate pizza pans between top and bottom oven racks halfway through baking.
Homemade Meat Lovers Pizza
2 packages (6-1/2 ounces each) pizza crust mix
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
1/4 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2/3 cup spaghetti sauce
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
6 ounces Canadian bacon, quartered
1/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Prepare pizza dough according to package directions. With floured hands, press dough onto a greased 14-in. pizza pan. Bake at 425° for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine oil and 1 teaspoon garlic powder; brush over crust edges.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook beef with onion powder and remaining garlic powder until no longer pink; drain.
Spread spaghetti sauce over crust to within 1 in. of edges. Top with beef mixture, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, olives and cheese.
Bake at 425° for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. Yield: 8 slices.
Homemade Veggie Pizza
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (optional)
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl. The water should be no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Let stand for 5 minutes until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.
Sift flour, sugar, 1 tablespoon oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt into a large bowl. Mix egg and oil into dry ingredients; stir in yeast mixture. When dough has pulled together, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, then place dough in bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (235 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Cook and stir diced tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, 1 tablespoon oregano, garlic, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
Punch down dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a knife to divide dough into two equal pieces--do not tear. Shape dough into rounds and let rest for 10 minutes. Form dough into rectangles, and place onto prepared baking sheet. Spoon tomato sauce over dough. Sprinkle with 1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese; top with bell pepper, onion, and mushroom. Sprinkle 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese over top.
Bake in preheated oven until crust is browned and crisp and cheese has melted, 20 to 25 minutes.
Extra Cheese Pizza
1/2 recipe homemade pizza crust
1/2 - 3/4 cup (127-190g) pizza sauce, depending how much you like (homemade or store-bought)
8 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
1 and 1/2 cups (6oz or 168g) shredded mozzarella cheese
2-3 Tablespoons (10-15g) grated Parmesan cheese
ground basil, to taste
Directions:
Prepare the pizza dough through step 11, including preheating the oven to 475F as described in step 8.
Top the crust with the pizza sauce, then the sliced mozzarella, then the shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, then sprinkle with basil.
Bake for 12-15 minutes. For the last minute, I move the oven rack to the top rack to really brown the edges. That's optional.
Slice hot pizza and serve immediately. Store leftover pizza covered tightly in the refrigerator and reheat as you prefer. Baked pizza slices may be frozen up to 1 month.
(pizza crust recipe)
2 and 1/4 teaspoons Red Star Platinum yeast (1 standard packet)*
1 and 1/3 cups (320ml) warm water (105-115F degrees)
3 and 1/2 cups (440g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more as needed (measured correctly)
2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil, plus more for brushing crust
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
cornmeal, for dusting
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine the yeast and warm water. Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes of until the yeast is foamy and dissolved. This is called "proofing" the yeast. If the yeast doesn't dissolve, your yeast is dead. Start again with active yeast. Add flour, olive oil, salt, and sugar. Mix by hand or with the dough hook on low speed for 1 minute.
Once all of the ingredients are mixed, knead for 7 minutes by hand or with your dough hook on low-medium speed. If your dough is too wet, add up to 1/4 cup more flour. After kneading, your dough should be smooth and elastic. Poke it with your finger - if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.
Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large mixing bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn it over to coat all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm environment (about 75F-80F).
For the warm environment, I heat up my oven to 200F. Then, I turn the oven off and keep the door slightly ajar (I opened it wide for this picture). This will be a warm environment for your dough to rise. After about 30 minutes, I close the oven door to trap warmish air inside with the rising dough.
Depending on your type of yeast, your dough will have doubled in size in about 1 - 2 hours. I use Red Star Platinum and my dough took 1 hour, 20 minutes.
Punch the dough down to release the air.
Divide the dough into two. Roll each half into a ball and let rest in two separate bowls lightly covered for 15 minutes. You may freeze one of the dough balls at this point to use at a later time. Please read above in the post for freezing instructions.
Preheat oven to 475F degrees. Allow to heat for at least 30 full minutes. Every inch of your oven needs to be very, very hot. Grease and dust 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray or with olive oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal (preferred for flavor and texture) or flour (not preferred). Please read above in the post for why cornmeal is preferred.
Prepare your favorite toppings. May I suggest my recipe for a simple extra cheese pizza?
After 15 minutes, flatten each ball of dough 1 at a time on a lightly floured surface or on a silicone baking mat. You could also do this directly on your cornmeal lined pizza pan. Flatten into a 12-inch round circle, flattening and stretching the dough. If using a pizza stone, place the dough directly on baker's peels dusted with cornmeal.
Lift the edge of the dough up to create a lip around the edges. I simply pinched the edges up to create the rim like this. To prevent the filling from making your pizza crust soggy, brush the top lightly with olive oil. Using your fingers, push dents into the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest for 15 minutes before topping.
Top with your favorite toppings and bake for 12-15 minutes. For the last minute, I move the oven rack to the top rack to really brown the edges. That's optional.
Slice hot pizza and serve immediately. Store leftover pizza covered tightly in the refrigerator and reheat as you prefer. Baked pizza slices may be frozen up to 1 month.
Additional Notes:
*You may also substitute active dry yeast on an equal basis for the instant yeast. Expect an approximately 50% slower rise time.
Here are some yummy Dessert Pizza Ideas!
Chocolate Pizza
Ingredients
1 pound homemade pizza dough, recipe follows, or purchased pizza dough
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted
Pizza Dough:
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for bowl
Position the oven rack on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the dough to a 9-inch-diameter round. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Using your fingers, make indentations all over the dough. Brush the dough with butter, then bake until the crust is crisp and pale golden brown, about 20 minutes. Immediately spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread over the pizza then sprinkle all the chocolate chips over. Bake just until the chocolate begins to melt, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the hazelnuts over the pizza. Cut into wedges and serve.
Pizza Dough:
Mix the warm water and yeast in a small bowl to blend. Let stand until the yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix the flour and salt in a food processor to blend. Blend in the oil. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture and blend just until the dough forms. Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and turn the dough to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm draft-free area until the dough doubles in volume, about 1 hour. Punch the down dough and form into ball. The dough can be used immediately or stored airtight in the refrigerator for 1 day.
Smore Pizza
2 store-bought pizza doughs
1/2 cup bench flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups mini marshmallows
2 bars dark chocolate
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Sprinkle flour on a work surface and roll out each piece of dough into a 12 to 14-inch round, 1/4-inch thick. Dust a pizza peel with cornmeal and slide onto the pizza stone. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until just beginning to brown.
While pizza crust is baking, toast almonds in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Remove almonds to a plate, and in the same pan, melt the butter. When butter is melted, add the graham cracker crumbs, chili powder, cayenne and salt. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Remove pizza from oven and top with half of the marshmallows, randomly place 1 bar of chocolate over marshmallows and return to the oven, 3 to 5 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed and lightly browned. Remove pizza from oven, sprinkle with half of the graham cracker mixture and top with half of the toasted slivered almonds. Repeat for the second pizza. Let the pizzas rest for 3 to 4 minutes, then slice and serve.
Brownie Pizza
1 (20-ounce) box fudge brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 tablespoons sugar
2 banana, sliced
1 cup fresh strawberries sliced
Marshmallows
Maraschino cherries
1 cup chopped nuts
Coconut
Chocolate syrup, for drizzling
Whipped cream
Mint, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 15-inch pizza pan.
Prepare brownie mix according to directions on box. Pour onto prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and cool.
Beat cream cheese while adding pineapple and sugar together in a bowl. Spread mixture over brownie crust. Arrange banana, strawberry slices, marshmallows, and cherries over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with nuts and coconut. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Add whipped cream on top and mint for garnish. To serve, slice as you would a pizza and enjoy!
Fruit Pizza
Pizza Dough:
1 package store bought sugar cookie dough
Toppings:
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 large peach, sliced
1 large green apple, sliced
1 large orange, sectioned
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
6 ounces fresh blueberries
6 ounces fresh raspberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Flatten cookie dough onto a 6-inch pizza pan. Bake until firm to touch, about 11 to 15 minutes. Cool. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and sugar. Spread the baked cookie with the cream cheese mixture and decorate with sliced fruit. In a small bowl, combine melted white chocolate with chocolate syrup. Top the pizza with remaining berries and chocolate mixture. Slice and serve immediately.
Some pizza recipes that are new and old. Give these a try and see what you think! I'm really curious about the dessert pizzas myself. If you try them let me know what you think!
@QuestionMan I know you've been waiting for this!
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