Bonus: Super Easy Pizza Crust

I love pizza and when you need an easy meal it can be a go-to without going out. This pizza dough is really simple, mix it up, let it rise, make some pizzas. I will include a simple red sauce recipe but goodness this dough can be topped with anything. We went with cheese for the toddler and sausage and mushroom for the adults. 

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup warm water (as close to 110 as possible, don't go over or you will hurt the yeasts feelings)

1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons if you have a jar of yeast)

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 1/2 cups flour

cornmeal for the pizza peel

In the bowl of your stand mixer, or a large bowl if mixing by hand, blend the water, yeast and sugar. Allow to sit at least 5 minutes to activate the yeast. Add the remaining ingredients and knead until you have a smooth dough. 

Schmear your proving bucket or bowl with olive oil and put your dough in the bowl, covering with a lid or plastic wrap until doubled in size. 

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. I use a baking steel to cook pizza (and bread) because we broke two pizza stones and I find them to be a bit too delicate. Allow it to heat up for a good 15 minutes so you know the steel/stone/cookie sheet are heated through. 

Punch down the dough and divide in half for 2 - 12 inch pizzas, or divide into more for individual size pizzas. Press out the dough into the shape of your choice... round is not the only shape for pizza! 

Sprinkle the pizza peel with cornmeal, if you don't have a pizza peel it works to use a flat cookie sheet too. Pop the dough onto the peel, sliding it around to ensure there is enough cornmeal, if not, pull up the sides and add more until your pizza slides freely. If you do this before you top the pizza then it will slide off without making a big mess. Top as you so desire, we did red sauce, sausage, mushrooms, mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan. You can top with anything you love. 

Pop it in the oven and cook it to your liking. 

Easy Pizza Sauce

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 6oz can tomato paste

2+ cloves of garlic

2 teaspoons basil

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

Dash of crushed red pepper 

Start with the olive oil and garlic in a medium saucepan, once you can smell the garlic add the rest of the ingredients and cook at least 15 minutes at a simmer. That not only allows the flavors to meld but cures the tomatoes of their tinny flavor from the can. You can cook it upwards of 30 minutes if you want to leave it going while you finish your dough prep. This time I also left out the salt and used a bit of anchovies for extra umami.