Joy the Baker

I can humbly say that I made the magic happen with this pizza.

If this pizza were a song, it would be an Al Green song.  It would be Love and Happiness.  This pizza is tight, it’s in the pocket, it’s got soul.

Speaking of love and happiness-  remember when I was down to my last egg and came to you for love advice a few weeks back?  Did I tell you how much all of your comments touched me?  They truly did.  Thank you, again and again and again.

I just wanted to let you know that I have found love and happiness.  It’s all just inside of me.  It’s lovely and amazing.  So I’m back to living the good life, on my own.  I also happen to me making the magic happen, one pizza (and one very hot kitchen) at a time.

Here’s something that I didn’t know about pizza:  it’s really easy to make!  When it comes to having all of my pizza questions answered, there was only one place I could go:  Smitten Kitchen.  Deb is batty for pizza and she has some amazing tutorials about what to do and how to do it.

I know it’s warm out friends, but don’t let that stop you from making some magic in your kitchen.  Crank up the air conditioning, pour yourself a nice cold beer, blast the Al Green and make a pizza.  That’s called the good life.  I know.  I’ve tried it.

Pizza Dough

recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Print this recipe!

makes 1 large pie.

3 cups flour (can replace up to half of this with whole wheat flour)
2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water (may need up to 1 or 2 tablespoons more)
2  tablespoon olive oil

Stir dry ingredients, including yeast, in a large bowl. Add water and olive oil, stirring mixture into as close to a ball as you can. Dump all clumps and floury bits onto a lightly floured surface and knead everything into a homogeneous ball.

Dough after a few minutes of kneading.  Just before first rest.

If you are finding this step difficult, one of the best tricks I picked up from my bread-making class is to simply pause. Leave the dough in a lightly-floured spot, put the empty bowl upside-down on top of it and come back in 2 to 5 minutes, at which point you will find the dough a lot more lovable.

Knead it for just a minute or two. Lightly oil the bowl (a spritz of cooking spray perfectly does the trick) where you had mixed it — one-bowl recipe! — dump the dough in, turn it over so all sides are coated, cover it in plastic wrap and leave it undisturbed for an hour or two, until it has doubled in size.

Dough, just before air is pressed our after first rise.

Worked into a nice smooth ball, ready for 20 minute rest.

Dump it back on the floured counter (yup, I leave mine messy), and gently press the air out of the dough with the palm of your hands. Fold the piece into an approximate ball shape, and let it sit under that plastic wrap for 20 more minutes.

Sprinkle a pizza stone or baking sheet with cornmeal and preheat your oven to its top temperature.  I used a baking sheet, turned upside down, lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Roll out the pizza, toss on whatever topping and seasonings you like. (I always err on the side of skimpy with toppings so to not weight down the dough too much, or if I have multiple toppings, to keep them very thinly sliced.)

Bake it for about 10 minutes until it’s lightly blistered and impossible to resist.

Pepperoni and Black Olive Pizza, Heavy on the Sauce

1 1/4 cup pizza sauce (I bought mine from Trader Joe’s. It’s great!)

1 1/2 to 2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup sliced black olives

as much pepperoni as you can layer onto the pizza.

Once the dough is rested and rolled, spread the sauce over the pizza and layer with cheese. Top with olives and pepperoni and bake at 450 for 10-13 minutes. So good!

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