If you're tired of frozen pizza (really, it's not that good) and want to save money on delivery, I've got the easiest and most satisfying recipe to make your own. And it all starts with the dough. You only need a few ingredients and a little patience.
We started making our own pizzas when the pandemic happened and we wanted to save some money. And we discovered that our homemade pizza is even better than our favorite local pizza place! And a lot more economical. Sure, you can buy the store-bought dough, but it's really not as good. And there's something so gratifying about making your own. You can make it thick or thin but either way, it will be a crisp, chewy and delicious pizza crust.
You can even make it ahead, or make 2 batches (this recipe makes enough for two 12-inch pizzas) and freeze it for up to 3 months. Take the dough out and let it thaw for 30 minutes before using.
Here's the recipe:
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 TBS granulated sugar
2 TBS olive oil
3/4 TSP salt (not course)
3 1/2 cups flour plus more for kneading dough
Cornmeal for dusting the pan (about 4-5 TBS)
Directions:
Pour the water into a mixing bowl and mix in sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the water and cover with a kitchen towel for 5 minutes. Mixture should be bubbly/foamy, if not, your yeast may be expired.
Once yeast mixture is ready, add flour, salt and olive oil. Mix on low speed (stand mixers work best) using the dough hook on low for about 2 minutes.
Flour your hands and place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough with your hands for about 3-4 minutes. Once the dough bounces back after you poke it with your finger, it's ready for the next step.
Add about a tablespoon of olive oil into a large bowl and make sure the entire inside of the bowl is covered with oil. Place the dough in the bowl and roll around until the dough is covered with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature for about 60 minutes (the dough should double in size). Freeze half the dough unless you plan to make a second pizza. Or, you can use it for salad croutons or breadsticks!
Preheat oven to 475° F (246° C). If you use a pizza stone (highly recommend) heat it in the oven for 15-20 minutes before you cook the pizza and add the cornmeal to the stone after it heats. If you use a baking sheet, spray with olive oil or nonstick spray and add the cornmeal before placing the dough on it.
Using floured hands or a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to your desired thickness and shape - circle, square, rectangle.
Carefully lift the dough by the edges and place the dough on the pizza stone or baking sheet. Brush it with olive oil and make indentations with your fingers to prevent bubbling. Add your toppings and cook for 12-15 minutes, until crust is golden brown.
For toppings, we like turkey pepperoni, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, and basil. But use whatever you want or have in the house. This is where you can get creative and have fun with it!
Did you make this? Share a pic below in the comments!