A Bit of a Departure

I don't normally do this -- but I make pizza every Friday night, and it's had rave reviews for years.

So I did a YouTube tutorial for it.  You can find it here -- Pizza Video

And here's the recipe:

FRIDAY NIGHT PIZZA

4 cups flour
2 Tablespoons minced dried onion
2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon minced dried garlic
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon (or one package) yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (warm to the touch, but not hot)
1/4 cup olive oil

Pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
String cheese
The toppings of your choice

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, food processor, or big bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.  Add the olive oil to the warm water in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup.

Using your dough hook, turn the mixer on the lowest speed and slowly add the liquid.  When using a food processor, do the same but pulse it until the liquid is well-worked into the flour and pulls together into a firm dough.  If doing this by hand, add liquid in slowly as you mix with a spoon.

Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.

Let rise for 30-45 minutes.

When dough is risen (between half and doubled in size), cut into two equal pieces.  Set one piece aside.

Take the other piece and shape into a flat circle.  Use your fingers to make indentations all around the edges to flatten the edges; it should look like a flying saucer.  Then take your rolling pin and roll it out to a circle about 2 inches larger than your pizza pan.

Now take your olive oil and sprinkle it over the dough.  Cover it using a paintbrush or your hands.  Lay the pizza pan on top of the dough, slide your hand under it, and flip it over.  Arrange the dough now so it covers the pan.

Place string cheese around the edges of the pan, laying them end-to-end.  Take the edge of the crust and fold over to enclose the cheese.  This can also be done with a little "hill" of shredded mozzarella that you put around the edge of the pan.  Just enclose it within the crust the same way.

Now just add sauce, spread it around, put your toppings on, and cover with shredded mozzarella.

Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.  Check it after about 17-18 minutes to make sure it isn't going to burn.
After removing it from the oven, let the pizza set for 5 minutes, then cut.  Serves 8-10.

 The dough can also be frozen and used later.  Just let it come to room temperature and rise a little before you roll it out.

Bon Appetit!

xoxoxoxox