Pizza!

The weekend is approaching fast! A Friday night staple is pizza, but how about a healthier, tastier, cheaper and easy-to-make alternative to delivery? This recipe is simple. Though it takes only 30 minutes of actual preparation and ten minutes to bake, it's a few hours to allow it to rise so it gets that lovely chewy texture. This can be made in the afternoon and be ready to bake by dinner, or can be made the night before and frozen for use later. Makes 2 medium-sized pizzas.


Ingredients
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
1 (1/4 oz) packet of active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp if you buy the stuff in the jar)
2 tablespoons olive oil (and more for drizzling)
3 cups flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour)
1 teaspoon salt
cornmeal or extra flour for dusting


Add the sugar to the warm (not hot) water and stir to dissolve. Add the yeast and stir again. Set aside until yeast becomes frothy. If yeast does not get frothy, use new yeast, water and sugar and try again.


Mix together flour and salt. I usually use whole wheat pastry flour. Whole wheat flour is fine, but you'll get a smoother texture to your bread with the finer grind of flour. You can also mix the 3 cups any way you like. Part whole wheat and part all-purpose, part spelt and part whole wheat, try experimenting. Different whole grain flours create slightly different consistencies and have different nutritional content. Remember that whole grain flours are easier to digest and have more protein, which keep you fuller for longer. Try to opt for the healthier choice, and you'll be rewarded with a richer flavor and a happier tummy.


Now for the mixing. Let me start by saying that making pizza dough, like any bread, is more of an art than a science. Add the water and oil to the flour and stir until it's as incorporated as possible, then begin kneading with your hands. If after thoroughly mixing the dough is too dry, add more water a tablespoon or two at a time and knead it in completely before adding more. If the dough feels tacky or sticks to your hands, knead in a tablespoon or two of flour at a time until it's about the consistency of play-dough. Then knead it for ten minutes. Once you're done kneading, pack the dough into a ball shape, roll in a little oil, and place it in a clean bowl. Cover the bowl with a wet towel and leave it in a warm place to let it rise, about an hour or two.

Once you come back, the dough will have doubled. Punch it down and begin kneading again, for a minute or two. Dust with flour to make it easier to handle if necessary. The dough should feel spongey and elastic. Let it sit for 10 minutes. You can freeze the dough at this point for later, or proceed to get ready to bake!


Divide the dough in two and preheat your oven as hot as it will get, about 500 degrees. Flatten your dough into a disk and stretch and roll it into a pizza shape. It helps to let gravity do some of the work (remember those guys at the pizzeria who would toss and spin the dough? This is the fun part!)


Once you're done stretching your dough, sprinkle a cookie sheet with about a tablespoon of flour or cornmeal, lay out the dough, put on your sauce and toppings and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the crust is brown and crisp. Pizza dough also makes great breadsticks, just roll the dough into little baguettes and rub with olive oil, garlic powder and salt.


There you have it! A delicious weekend meal that's a blast to make, especially for kids! Happy baking!