Handmade Italian Pizza
1/2 cup warm (not boiled) milk 1/4 cup shortening 1 T. sugar 1 1/4 tsp salt Mix these ingredients together. Separately, dissolve 1 package of yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Add to milk mixture. Stir in 2 1/2 cups flour, mix until well blended. Knead dough until elastic, oil dough ball and place in a bowl in a warm area until doubled in size. Punch down and divide into 2 large or 4 small pieces. We most enjoyed assigning each person his own small baking pan and a ball of dough to assemble his own pizza from ingredients laid out buffet style before baking. (This is "Pizza Night" at our house!) The secret to a really good, crisp and tender pizza crust is in the way it's handled before adding toppings. Grease pan and lightly dust with cornmeal. Work dough out to cover bottom of pan (you can use the back of your fist to work dough, just be careful not to make holes as the dough can be very thin. Use more dough for a thicker pizza). Use a fork to poke holes in the pizza crust, bake at 375 degrees until cooked but not browned. Toppings: Spaghetti sauce or seasoned tomato sauce or paste. Tomato paste will bake to a flavor similar to sun dried tomatoes and is very tasty. Mozarella cheese, grated Cheese mixture can also be made with mozarella, cheddar, romano and parmesan cheese Either between the tomato sauce layer and the cheese, or on top of the cheese (a matter of personal taste), you can add sliced pepperoni, diced green peppers, onions, black olives, and any ingredients you love on pizza. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese blended with garlic salt, black pepper and italian seasonings if desired. (this makes a great sprinkle for the outside of grilled sandwiches as well) Bake at 400 degrees until crust is brown and cheese is bubbly. Serve hot! Tip for the cheese challenged: Can't have milk products? Crust can be made with water instead of milk. To make the pizza put tomato sauce and pizza toppings on one side only of the crust before it is baked. Fold over raw crust, poke holes in the top and bake to make a layered pizza. Just as yummy! or Click Here |