Pizza Dough and Sauce

I make the dough with 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat flour. It gives the crust more substance and a better flavor. Even my kids and their cousins prefer it this way. I like using olive oil in both the crust and the sauce. Since we only eat one pizza for a meal, I have included two methods for freezing the second one, or you can freeze both for OAMC. NOTE: prep time does NOT include rise time.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• Pizza Dough

• 3⁄4 tablespoon  yeast
• 1 1⁄2 cups warm water
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 3  tablespoons  oil
• 4  cups flour (we prefer half white, half wheat)

• Pizza Sauce

• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1⁄2 cup red wine or 1⁄2 cup water
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil or 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1 -2  tablespoon parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water (I add a pinch of sugar) and allow to set until it begins to foam, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in salt, oil and half of flour. Gradually add remaining flour, mixing well.
3. Knead 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl and let rise until double (1/2-1 hour) Punch down and let rise again until double. Punch down and divide. Pat out on two pizza pans.
4. Top with pizza sauce & toppings. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
5. Pizza Sauce: Mix all ingredients together, blending well. (You can also add a few sprinkles of garlic powder if you want).
6. Makes enough for two 12- or14-inch pizzas or one thick 16-inch pizza.
7. Top with meats, cheese and other toppings.
8. To freeze, prepared pizza method: double wrap and freeze the prepared pizza (without baking it) on the pizza pan. Unwrap and bake the frozen pizza at 400°F for about 22 minutes.
9. Alternative freezing method: after first punch down of dough, divide dough and place in a zip-loc bag and place in the freezer. To prepare, remove from freezer and place in a greased bowl. The dough will take about 8-10 hours to thaw and raise slightly. Pat out on grease pizza pan and proceed as directed above. I also freeze half the sauce in a small container for future use.