Pizza is something we really enjoy around our house, especially on Friday or Saturday nights. I grew up making pizza dough and now have added mixing up our pizza sauce. Both of these recipes are included below along with some additional notes for tips and creative ideas.
Thin Crust Pizza Dough
This pizza dough is easy to make and always turns out well. I like that it doesn't make a super thick crust, though some of that depends on how thin you roll the dough. This recipe makes enough for one pizza. You can always use extra dough to make bread sticks for dipping in sauce.
Ingredients
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cups hot water (this is just hot tap water, not boiling water)
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Spray your pizza pan with cooking spray.
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in hot water; let sit for 5-8 minutes to allow the yeast to bubble. Mix in the flour and salt with a heavy spoon. When you can no longer stir the dough, turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead until a smooth, soft ball is formed (about 2 minutes).
Roll the dough out to fit the shape of your pan. Lift the dough off the counter and place on pan. Pat with your hands to mold the dough to fit the pan. Add sauce and desired toppings. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
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Pizza Sauce
This sauce tastes just as good as canned pizza sauces from the grocery store, and it uses ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry. If you want sodium-free sauce, then use salt-free tomato products. The amounts below are sufficient for two pizzas.
Ingredients
1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces
1 can tomato paste, 6 ounces
2 generous teaspoons garlic powder
2 generous teaspoons oregano
Salt, to taste (I don't add salt if my tomato products aren't sodium-free)
Directions
Mix all the ingredients with a wire whisk. Taste to add more seasonings to your liking. Can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.
Notes
Recently I've been adding Italian Seasoning to my pizza dough to add more flavor. Be creative and change things up a bit!
In addition to sauce and cheese, we typically top our pizzas with green pepper, onion, pepperoni, and sometimes spinach. Thin slices of homegrown tomatoes are also delicious.
A pizza stone does make a difference in baking pizza. If you have one, use it! You will enjoy the texture it gives the crust.
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