Everyone loves Pizza! I think I’m with 99% of the world when I say that this is an undeniable fact, Pizza is an universally cherished meal. Even if you don’t like cheese, you still like some sort of version of pizza. And I know this because even though I don’t have children of my own, yet, spending a few years as a kid’s cooking class chef and instructor I have seen my fair share of interesting food preferences, including pizza toppings….many a baked crusts without cheese and just sauce, mushrooms and anchovies, and even plain ole bread baked with one single, lonely pepperoni round sprinkled with wayyy too much fresh ground pepper for any normal adult, let alone child, should consume.
So there’s my argument, no matter how you top it, bake it, or prefer to eat your slice {yes I’m looking at you fork and knife eaters}, Pizza is one of the most versatile and appealing foods you can make!!
If you also happen to be an outlier, like myself, who on the rare occasion gets the craving for take out, particularly a nice sizzling cheese bubbling wood fired pizza, your most logical thing to do instead of picking up the phone and placing an order, is to make it yourself. Because ya know, logic! But it’s true, I very rarely crave any form of take out, and when I do it’s often sushi, ramen bowls or pad thai, fresh Mexican dishes or pizza.
And when I say pizza, I don’t just mean a regular cheese pizza. I MEAN. PIZZA. You know the kind of pizza the normal person would look at you and say “Oh, you’re fancy…” No not fancy, but yes I guess some would say I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to my preferred version of pizza.
I want my crust to taste like homemade bread, not too thick and not too thin, that sweet thickness rolled out haphazardly, not in a perfect circle. And if a few pockets of air get left in the dough, baking into charred balloons that make my eyes light up in wonder, then all the better!
Tomato sauce should taste rich yet fresh, cozy yet light. And the cheese, hmm how do I put this in the nicest and simplest of terms — it should be fresh and amazing quality! The kind that makes your mouth water eating it on its own. It should not taste like cardboard from a plastic bag!!! But in the sake of not losing your interest, I don’t judge, I really don’t, so if that’s what makes your tastebuds happy, then by all means top these babies with your favorite shredded goodies!
Now for toppings, since I don’t eat meat, nor did I ever care for any pepperoni or sausage critters, I’ve always loved the fresh stuff. My favorite, as I feel for most, is a classic Margherita! Blobs of fresh creamy Mozzarella, tomatoes and lots and lots of fresh basil. It’s simple, but ohh Margherita, you know how to do it right.
This Pizza Margherita is almost farm garden to table, in my personal opinion, the kind that taste even better. But however which way you bake it, it will still taste amazing. The tomato sauce is one I made from our summer tomatoes, fire roasted on the grill outside, then stewed with onions, garlic, a bit of olive oil, splash of white wine, sprinkling of sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and loads of fresh basil, from the garden too. I cooked a large pot, then froze it into individual containers, knowing very well come winter, Pizza was the plan.
Even if you don’t make your own tomato sauce, using a high quality pre-made tomato sauce and fresh tomatoes, really does make all the difference when making Margherita pizza at home.
Finish it off with as much, or as little, fresh mozzarella you prefer, and then Basil. Now if you don’t have fresh basil, but have dried that’s totally OKAY! Dried basil actually has more of a robust flavor anyway, just rub it between your palms to release more of its oils. {I had plenty of dried basil leaves from the summer, so I quickly dropped them in hot water to revive them a bit, then spread them on top}. Sprinkle with ground pepper, more dried basil and a dash of red pepper flakes if you like heat.
Let’s talk my second favorite topping – Artichokes. If you haven’t had a wood fired pizza with artichokes then you are missing out!! This artichoke pizza has the addition of a leafy green I’d say majority don’t like, Broccoli Rabe, but let me tell you, I CANNOT get enough. With a cheesy spread of smoked gouda, a few more tiny blobs of fresh mozzarella, a dashing of oregano and cayenne …. OH. MY. GOODNESS. {My mouth is currently salivating and feeling very thankful I froze half of this pizza for this very moment!}
I know you’re probably curling your nose at me, “who enjoys broccoli rabe this much??” well there isn’t a veggie I don’t like, and when broccoli rabe is in season and you find yourself with an insanely delicious bunch, I mean it’s amazing! BUT I get it, not your cup of “greens,” so go ahead and swap it in for whatever green veggie you like : spinach, kale, broccoli or even cauliflower.
The combination of sweet artichokes, smokey gouda, earthy broccoli rabe and just the right touch of spice — Ugh my oh my oh my!! And that’s all I have to say about this Pizza, because it’s perfection.
Don’t worry, I didn’t actually forget about you meat eaters. I do cook for meat eaters and do not judge your eating preferences. This Pizza version is what I like to call “Open the Fridge & Just Grab Whatever You Think Goes.” Because that’s basically what I did.
Spoon that insanely yummy fire roasted tomato sauce as your base, then throw on some shredded ham or any other deli/leftover meat you have. Do the same with some Provolone, since it’s a nice tasting cheese with most meats, or again, whatever cheese you have. Then if you have some avocados going bad, slice up those bad boys and throw them on there too!
Of course don’t forget some fresh ground pepper, dried oregano or fresh parsley if you have it, and red pepper flakes because they just make everything so much better, don’t you think??
I just realized I never talked dough, yes it’s homemade too. And yes you can make it, even if you never have, and NO you don’t need to wait all day for it to rise! I’ve been making this 2 hour-No Knead Dough from Joy the Baker for years, from thick crust pizzas to rustic stuffed breads. And it’s seriously a NO FAIL recipe. Mix it together in the morning, all it takes is 5 minutes, definitely place it in a warmer setting and in no more than 2 hours you can start creating your pizza magic!!
The recipe technically yields 2 large pizzas, but I divided into 4 rounds, making these 3 which fed 2 people and with plenty of leftovers and then froze the extra pizza dough to use another day. See I’m already thinking of your next pizza craving…
If you happened to have caught my Instagram stories last Saturday when I made these, then you may have noticed that for some crazy unknown reason making these pizzas also made me sing “Disco Inferno” on a loop. But instead I would just keep replacing the words with a pizza/bread theme…
Rise, baby, rise….
Bread Makin’ Inferno!
Rise, baby, rise….
Makin’ Pizza tonight….
Catchy right? Also, I apologize if “Disco Inferno” is now stuck in your head
Whether it’s a random craving for pizza, a fun game night, a relaxing and cozy movie day, or a big game day {as this weekend happens to be with Super Bowl, the biggest takeout day of the year}…..You can make your own pizza in about the same amount of time it takes you to think of what you want and wait for it to show up at your door.
Plus, in no offense to all your yummy local pizza spots, even more amazing and delicious than you could have imagined. Trust me, you’ll be referring to yourself as a gourmet chef and saying things like “Oh, why yes, I am fancy! This pizza made me this way…”
I hope by the end of this post you have already started gathering your ingredients and that dough is rising, because I don’t think any normal pizza loving person could resist these beauties 😉
- 2 3/4 cups – Bread Flour
- 1 cup – Whole Wheat Flour {or All Purpose Flour or Bread Flour}
- 2 1/2 teaspoons {1 small pouch} – Active Dry Yeast
- 3/4 teaspoon – Salt
- 3/4 teaspoon – Granulated Sugar
- 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups – Warm Water
- To make the dough, whisk the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl Add the warm water all at once, stirring until the mixture comes together. I found it easier to finish mixing the dough with my hands into a ball, which will be slightly sticky and not smooth.
- Cover the dough with a few clean kitchen towels, preferably in a warmer setting. Allow to rise at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to use your dough, sprinkle a little flour on top and give it a good punch. In the bowl, with the palm of your hands knead slightly until it begins to become smoother. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 pieces. Lightly flour each piece of dough, and knead just a bit until dough is nice and smooth.
- To thaw any frozen dough, leave it in the fridge overnight then allow it to come to room temperature before using. Frozen pizza dough, wrapped very well, can be kept in freezer up to 3 months.
- Pizza Dough
- Tomato Sauce - Either Homemade or Store Bought
- Fresh Sliced Tomatoes, optional
- Fresh Mozzarella
- Fresh or Dried Basil Leaves
- Fresh Ground Pepper
- Cayenne or Red Pepper Flakes, optional
- Preheat oven to 500*F and place rack on the top. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet or pizza pan. Roll out your dough to about 1/4" or your desired thickness. Place the rolled out dough on the pan, stretch it out a bit more, pressing the dough flat.
- If the dough springs back as you’re pressing it out, allow it to rest for 5 minutes, then try again. If the dough tears, just pinch together with your fingers to put back together.
- Top dough with your tomato sauce, leaving about 1/2" around the edge. Layer with the mozzarella slices and basil. Sprinkle with ground pepper and cayenne. Lightly brush the edges of the dough with olive oil.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the edges are charred and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve immediately.
- To freeze, wrap cooled pizza slices really well in foil, up to 6 months.
- Pizza Dough
- Jarred Marinated Artichokes
- Broccoli Rabe - lightly blanched + cooled
- Smoked Gouda - either sliced or as a spread
- Few chunks of Fresh Mozzarella, optional
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Dried Oregano, optional replace with any other herbs
- Dash of Cayenne, optional
- Preheat oven to 500*F and place rack on the top. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet or pizza pan. Roll out your dough to about 1/4" or your desired thickness. Place the rolled out dough on the pan, stretch it out a bit more, pressing the dough flat.
- If the dough springs back as you’re pressing it out, allow it to rest for 5 minutes, then try again. If the dough tears, just pinch together with your fingers to put back together.
- Lightly brush dough with olive oil. Spread the smoked gouda spread leaving about 1/2" around the edge {or if using sliced gouda, place an even layer}. Top with artichokes, broccoli rabe and chunks of fresh mozzarella. Sprinkle with ground pepper, dried oregano and cayenne, if using.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the edges are charred and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve immediately.
- To freeze, wrap cooled pizza slices really well in foil, up to 6 months.
- Pizza Dough
- Tomato Sauce - homemade or store bought
- Smoked Ham - sliced or shredded
- Provolone Cheese
- Avocado Slices
- Dried Oregano, use any other dried herb if you prefer
- Fresh Parsley, optional
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper + Red Pepper Flakes
- Preheat oven to 500*F and place rack on the top. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet or pizza pan. Roll out your dough to about 1/4" or your desired thickness. Place the rolled out dough on the pan, stretch it out a bit more, pressing the dough flat.
- If the dough springs back as you’re pressing it out, allow it to rest for 5 minutes, then try again. If the dough tears, just pinch together with your fingers to put back together.
- Spread your tomato sauce onto the dough leaving about 1/2" around the edge. Top with smoked ham, provolone cheese and sliced avocado. Sprinkle with ground pepper, dried oregano and fresh parsley, if using. Lightly brush the edges of your dough with olive oil.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the edges are charred and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve immediately.
- To freeze, wrap cooled pizza slices really well in foil, up to 6 months.
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