Syd's Basic Pizza

Sydney Mike's Note:

Wish I could remember where I picked up this recipe [over 30 years ago], but I can't! In spite of the detailed directions, it is easy to make & great-tasting, to boot! And, I'm one of those who can thoroughly enjoy a simple cheese & sauce pizza! Preparation time does not include the 2 hours it takes for the dough to rise.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 2.0 13

FOR THE DOUGH

• 2 (¼ ounce) envelopes dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt , low-sodium
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

FOR TOPPING

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)
• 2 -3 cups pasta sauce
• 2 cups romano cheese , shredded
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese , shredded

Directions:

1. FOR THE DOUGH, Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2. In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt & sugar.
3. Add yeast mixture & oil into middle of flour mixture, mixing until dough is soft but not sticky. If sticky, add a little more flour in the next step.
4. Turn dough onto lightly floured board, & knead until dough is smooth & elastic. Dough will pop back if you stick a finger into it.
5. Put dough in lightly oiled bowl & brush it with oil, then cover with towel & put in warm place.
6. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until dough has doubled in size. A hole remains if you poke your finger into the dough.
7. Remove dough from bowl & punch it down on a board.
8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
9. Divide dough into 2 equal balls, then cover & let rest 10 minutes.
10. Taking 1 ball at a time, roll it out or pat & stretch it into a circle about 14 inches in diameter. Dough should be thinner at center than at edge.
11. Pinch edge of dough to form a rim, & place the whole of the dough on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
12. Prick lightly all over with a fork.
13. FOR THE TOPPING, If you want, you can brush the pizza dough LIGHTLY with olive oil, OR just start by covering the dough with a pasta/pizza sauce, to about 1 to 1 1/2 inches from the edge.
14. Add a layer of shredded Romano cheese over the sauce.
15. If desired, at this point add any meat/veggie topping(s) that you like.
16. Sprinkle top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
17. Bake until crust is done, about 30 minutes.

Reviews

[gailanng]

I called the family to the table to see what I had made. Pepper, my cockatiel, found no humor in this event. You know, he not being a pizza eater and all that. Well, he fixed on me a snake-eyed stare and accused me of not being very considerate. A spoonful of tuna will set things right and thank goodness he has a short memory. I AM happy to say this was much enjoyed by all the others. Made for Everyday Is A Holiday.

[Kim127]

I am trying to overcome my "fear" of the yeastie beasties and I chose to make this recipe because the directions were very clear. Let me tell you, it worked very well for me. My first homemade pizza dough (with no cheating from the bread machine). Very excited with the results. I did add some mushrooms to the toppings and used pizza sauce instead of pasta sauce. The crust bake up fluffy and the middle of the pizza was not soggy at all! Thanks for sharing Sydney Mike!

[JanuaryBride]

A good pizza. Used pizza sauce instead of pasta sauce. Added some green peppers, red peppers, mushrooms and fresh tomatoes. I halved the recipe to make one big square pizza. Crust definitely puffs up when cooked, so get it pretty thin prior to cooking. Mine was done baking in 20 minutes. Made for Veg*n Swap.