Basic Cheese Pizza
photo by Yelena F.
- Ready In:
- 1hr 13mins
- Ingredients:
- 11
- Yields:
-
1 pizza
- Serves:
- 8
ingredients
- 1⁄4 ounce dry yeast
- 1 cup water, lukewarm
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1⁄2 cup tomato puree
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
directions
-
Dough:
- In a glass or plastic bowl, combine yeast, water, and sugar (the water can just be water from the tap, make sure it's below 100°F).
- Stir to dissolve the yeast and let the yeast "bloom" for 15 minutes.
- Stir in 1 cup flour, add salt, and then stir in another cup of flour (the remaining cup of flour will be your "bench" flour and added flour).
- Dump mixture onto kneading board and work in last cup of flour, kneading until dough is soft and elastic, but not sticky. Form dough into a ball.
- In another bowl, pour in the 1 tbsp olive oil and spread around.
- Coat ball of dough with oil and cover bowl with a damp towel and let dough rise for 40 minutes.
- Punch down dough and knead on board about 2 minutes. Dough is now ready to spread in the pan.
- To avoid sticking of crust, lightly spray pizza pan with olive oil or vegetable oil spray and then work dough to pan (or use free form pan) - this dough is enough for 1 14-in pizza with a thin bottom crust and enough dough around the edge to munch.
-
Sauce:
- Combine pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, minced garlic, and basil.
- Spread onto prepared pizza dough.
- Top with sliced mozzarella cheese and bake at 500°F for 11-13 minutes.
Questions & Replies
Reviews
-
I just tried this recipe and it was GREAT. I have spent many wasted hours on other recipes that made me feel that I was lacking but this one is defiantly a keeper. I did make a few minor changes however. In step four I tossed in some ramano cheese, dried oregano, and garlic powder. Also, I pre-baked the crust before I added my toppings but before doing so i placed string cheese around the edge of the crust and folded some of the dough over it while firmly pinching the crease. Then i used the prongs of a fork to score the seal and to further insure that it would not come undone while baking I brushed the seal with egg yolk. MMMMM talk about tasty cheese stuffed crust!!! As for the pizza sauce I found this wonderful sauce(Recipe #114392) that made me think I was in pizza heaven :)
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I use this one a lot! reason being , 13 years ago i was a baker. and i know you have to let your yeast blossom or bloom. and the best way to do that is w/ sugar. NOT SALT!! that will kill the blossom effect of the yeast. i know from experience. that will make you cry!!!if your as picky as me w/ food. i also like to add SHREEDED parmesan and garlic powder to the dough. that tastes great!! looks good too!
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Gohogsgirl
Kansas City, 0
I love to cook.