Make your own Homemade Pizza!

Who doesn’t think of pizza when thinking of Italian food? Learn to make you own homemade pizza faster than delivery.

The original pizza of Naples was basically an oven-baked, flat, round bread covered with tomato sauce and a few simple toppings. But we Americans like to make things bigger and have put our own spin on the traditional simple Neopolitan pizza!

Some popular pizza varieties enjoyed in the U.S.:

New York-style originally developed in New York City, is still very popular on the East coast where it is often sold in oversized, thin flexible slices. It is traditionally hand-tossed, moderate on sauce, and moderately covered with cheese, essentially amounting to a much larger version of the Neapolitan style. The slices are sometimes eaten folded in half as its size and flexibility may otherwise make it difficult to eat by hand.

Chicago-style, or Chicago-style deep dish, contains a crust which is formed up the sides of a deep-dish pan. It reverses the order of ingredients, using crust, cheese, filling, then sauce on top. Some versions (usually referred to as "stuffed") have two layers of crust with the sauce on top. Deep-dish was first served in 1943 at Pizzeria Uno, which is still operating along with its twin restaurant, Pizzeria Due, in the River North neighborhood.

Now there are many variations of these three pizza types with endless possibilites for crust and toppings.

Why eat those greasy delivery pizzas when making your own is so easy?

The great thing about pizza is anyone can make it and everyone loves it!

You can make a quick dough and throw on some leftover vegetables, toss with some fresh herbs and cheese and you can make a delicious pizza just as fast as having one delivered. Your dough can be made in advance and even frozen, and there are many different types and flavors of dough you can easily make yourself. Its a great way to get your kids to eat vegetables.

Try these easy and tasty homemade Pizza Recipes....

One of my favorite things to do is make my own Frozen pizzas.

Tips for making your own Pizza Dough:

1. Use an unbleached flour rather than an all-purpose flour because it is higher in gluten which is necessary for a crispier, more authentic crust.

2. Use active dry yeast that has not yet expired (always check the date). This yeast is reliable and easy to use. You can also speed up the process by using a rapid rise yeast.

3. Kneading the dough is an important step and will determine the texture of the crust, however, too much kneading can over-develop the gluten and make the crust tough.

4. To knead the dough, fold the dough over in half and press down with the heel of your hand. Turn it a quarter and fold and press again. Continue turning and pressing until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour. Too much flour causes a heavy, chewy crust, while a soft, slightly moist dough makes a lighter crust.

5. Place the dough ball in a bowl that has been lightly oiled with olive oil. Roll the ball in the oil to coat the dough, and cover with plastic wrap. Put in a warm place to rise – the dough should double in size. This generally takes between 45 minutes to 1 ˝ hour. Do not let the dough more than double in size or it may collapse. You can punch the dough down and let it rise a second time which will create a lighter crust. You can put the dough in the refrigerator to slow the rising time if you are not going to use the dough right away.

6. You can twirl the dough over your head to stretch it if you have the skills of a pizzaiolo, or you can just roll out the dough on a cloth or cutting board dusted lightly with flour. The dough will be very elastic, therefore allow it to shrink a little before you place it in your pan to be sure it is the correct size.

7. If you are using a pan or making a deep dish pizza, the easiest way is just to press the dough directly into the pan after you brushed it with olive oil. Start from the center and work your way to the edges. You can also sprinkle the pan with course cornmeal to prevent sticking.

Try This Quick and Easy Dough Recipe:

Fun Ways to Cook Pizza:

Pizza Stone: I think the best homemade pizzas are made using a specially designed stone. The stone is preheated in your oven at 450° for 10 minutes. Prepare your pizza on a wooden peel and place it directly on the stone while the stone is in the oven. These stones quickly cook the crust to perfection and are the closest thing to a brick oven for the home cook. No pan I have ever used has even come close to the results I get from my pizza stone. 14.5x16.5-in. Baking/Pizza Stone and Peel Set

Grilling: A fun way to make pizza in the summer when you do not want to heat up your house with a hot oven, is to make it on the grill. It is even better if you have your own herb garden and can cut and place fresh herbs directly on your pizza while it is grilling. Grilling makes a great, thin crust and has a wonderful flavor, especially if you use charcoal or wood chips on a gas grill. Summer has an abundance of fresh vegetables for toppings and can create a complete, healthy meal with little mess in the kitchen.

Try this grilled pizza recipe.

Here are some other great things you can do with pizza dough:

Calzones and strombolis are very similar dishes that are made from a basic pizza dough and baked in a similar fashion. They are both delicious and easy to make. You can put whatever you like in them with unlimited possibilties.

Strombolis are also referred to as a stuffed pizza and is similar to the calzone. It also used a basic dough which is filled with mozzarella cheese along with various fillings which often include pepperoni, then the stromboli is baked. Strombolis are similar to calzones, but traditionally the two are distinct dishes with the stromboli usually stuffed only with mozzarella cheese, while calzones are stuffed with a cheese mixture (often including ricotta). The stromboli is rolled to resemble a loaf and can be cut into pieces like a big sandwich, whereas a calzone is folded over to a semi-circle.

Some say the stromboli is originally from the island of Stromboli in Italy, while it has also been reported to have been created in 1950 in Essington, Pennsylvania. Wherever it originated, it makes a delightful meal.

Try these homemade Pizza Recipes.

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