Description
This homemade pizza recipe offers a classic Italian-American dish featuring a flavorful yeast dough, a savory tomato-based sauce, and melty mozzarella cheese topped with your choice of pepperoni or vegetables. It’s perfect for a family dinner and allows customization for different dietary preferences.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (110°F)
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni or other desired toppings (vegetables, sausage, etc.)
- Fresh basil leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water (110°F) and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Make Dough: Add the flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture and mix until a cohesive dough forms.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, developing gluten for structure.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 475°F and place a pizza stone or baking sheet inside to preheat thoroughly for an even, crispy crust.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to create the pizza sauce.
- Shape Dough: Punch down the risen dough, divide it in half for two pizzas, and roll out one portion on a floured surface to approximately 12 inches in diameter.
- Assemble Pizza: Transfer the rolled dough onto parchment paper, spread the sauce evenly, sprinkle with cheese, and add your desired toppings such as pepperoni or vegetables.
- Bake Pizza: Carefully transfer the pizza along with the parchment paper onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet and bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese bubbles.
- Repeat and Serve: Repeat the assembly and baking steps for the second pizza. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired and serve hot.
Notes
- Dough can be refrigerated overnight to develop deeper flavor.
- For a crisper crust, bake directly on a preheated pizza stone without parchment paper once dough is handled carefully.
- Customize toppings to your preference or dietary requirements.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour rise time)
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
