The Challenge: Pizza with the Boys

Starting my 3rd month of no trips to the grocery store. Entertaining always the biggest challenge. Hosting my nephew Danny, from Michigan and one of his college friends. On the menu- homemade pizza. We all run for take out so easily but home made pizza is not that hard to make and you can really personalize the toppings. We will be have sausage and pepperoni pizza and an artichoke and spinach pizza.  I have plenty of canned tomatoes so I made sauce yesterday and I had mozzarella cheese and topping ingredients in the freezer. Stop by if you want a slice. 🙂

Homemade Pizza

1 packet active dry yeast

1 t. sugar

1 2/3 c. warm water

4-4½ c. flour

2 t. salt

3 c. pizza sauce

16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Cornmeal

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/3 c. of the water. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the flour and let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.  Add remaining water to yeast mixture. Stir in salt and 3 cups of flour. Stir until soft dough forms. Place dough on floured surface and knead until stretchy and smooth, about 10 minutes. Allow dough to rest 3 minutes and knead a few more times. Place in bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Punch dough down. Divide dough in half and roll each half into a 12-inch circle. Dust back of baking sheet with cornmeal and place dough on cornmeal, pressing down a little. Slice dough off sheet and onto a clean baking sheet. Place half of the remaining ingredients on the dough and repeat with remaining half of dough. Add more toppings, if you like and bake in a preheated 450-degree oven for 13-15 minutes. Cool a few minutes before cutting. Makes 2 pizzas.