pizza

Homemade pizza crust actually isn't as difficult as you might think. It just takes some prep time. I love making pizza because you can get all kinds of creative with toppings, so even if you have it twice a week, it's like two very different meals (just ask John). And trust me, pizza dough made from scratch tastes a lot better than Boboli.

adapted from The Cheese Board Collective Works

(makes two 12-inch, thin pizzas)

Crust:
1 packet (2¼ tsp or ¼ oz) yeast
1⅛ c warm water
1½ Tbsp olive oil
1⅛ tsp salt
2¾-3¼ c flour
some cornmeal

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl. Whisk with a fork, let stand 5 minutes.

Add oil, salt, and 2½ cups of flour. Mix with a wooden spoon for at least 5 minutes. The dough should be a little sticky, but not so much that you can't pick it up with your hands. It should form a ball.

Add ¼ cup of flour to a large cutting board (or any clean, flat surface such as a large baking sheet). Dust your hands with some flour. Knead dough for at least 8 minutes, incorporating flour. If the dough is still way too sticky, add flour ¼ cup at a time. The end result should be a smooth ball of dough that isn't too dry. For those of you who don't know how to knead, all you do is fold the dough towards you, then push forward with the heel of your hand, then rotate a quarter turn and repeat. It can be therapeutic, like those stress-relief balls that you squeeze. Tip: to prevent your kneading surface from slipping, place a damp towel under it.

Place dough in a well-oiled, large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (such as your kitchen stove) for 1 hour (or whatever the yeast packet instructions say).

After the dough has doubled in size, divide it into two portions. Preheat oven to 450°F. Scatter some cornmeal (about a tablespoon) on a baking sheet or pizza pan (or a pizza stone if you're that gourmet). Let the dough rest on the pan for 20 minutes.

Shape the dough into a circle. You can do this by using the hand-tossing method you've seen on TV, or you can simply use a rolling pin. Either way, it helps to start by using your fingers to flatten it out a bit. For a photographic demonstration by the Food Network, click here.

Brush some olive oil on the crust, then throw on some toppings. Bake each pizza for 8-10 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven, then 8-10 minutes on the top rack.

Topping ideas that have proven themselves tasty:

• mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, garlic, basil leaves (this is called a Margherita)
• mozzarella, sliced pears, crumbled gorgonzola, and toasted walnuts thrown on a few minutes before baking is finished
• mozzarella, sliced mushrooms, broccoli florets, fresh asiago, chopped herbs (such as basil or parsley)
• mozzarella, thinly sliced red or white potatoes, rosemary, cooked chicken chunks
• cilantro pesto, mozzarella, jack cheese, chicken, yellow corn, bell peppers, black olives, lime juice
• alfredo sauce, garlic, mozzarella, zucchini, red onions, italian herbs (from the dried spice aisle), parmesan
• fontina cheese, salami, artichoke hearts, eggplant, sundried tomatoes, black olives, basil, parsley
  

You get the idea. Mozzarella cheese is pretty much mandatory (you can also substitute fontina), but you can add other cheeses on top of it (especially crumbly strong cheeses). And the possibilities with toppings are endless (check out California Pizza Kitchen's menu for inspiration). Grated parmesan or romano cheese is always a good finishing touch. Mushrooms and tomatoes release a lot of moisture, so make sure there is a bed of mozzarella between them and the crust. Making pizza gets better and better with practice, so eat up.