Pizza

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: The dough was kind of difficult to work, but I managed. ^_^

Ingredients:
Pizza Dough
    1 3/4 cups water
    2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1 envelope)
    2 tablespoons olive oil , plus extra for brushing dough
    4 cups bread flour
    1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
    Vegetable oil (or cooking spray) for oiling bowl
    Semolina for dusting peel
Sauce
    2 large cloves garlic, minced
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or tomatoes packed in puree, chopped coarse  (I used fire roasted tomatoes)
Toppings
    1/4 pound bulk pork sausage , broken into bite size pieces (Pizza 1)
    1 pepperoni sausage, sliced (Pizza 1)
    1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
    1 green pepper (Pizza 2)
    1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (Pizza 2)
    1/4 cup diced red onion (Pizza 2)
    1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaf
    1/8 cup chopped fresh marjoram
    1/8 cup chopped fresh oregano
    4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (1 cup) (I used a mixed combination of smoked and whole milk mozzarella, fresh.)

Directions:
1. For Pizza: Measure 1/4 cup of warm water into 2-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup warm water plus 1 1/4 cup tap water and olive oil. Meanwhile, pulse flour and salt in workbowl of large food processor fitted with steel blade to combine. Add liquid ingredients (holding back a tablespoon or so) to flour and pulse together. If dough does not readily form into ball, stop machine, add remaining liquid, and continue to pulse until ball forms. Process until dough is smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds longer.

2. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand with a few strokes to form smooth, round ball. Put dough into medium-large, oiled bowl, and cover with damp cloth. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

3. For Sauce: Heat garlic with oil in saucepan over medium heat. When garlic starts to sizzle, add tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, until sauce is thick enough to mound on spoon, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. For Pizza: Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and use chef’s knife or dough scraper to halve, quarter, or cut dough into eighths, depending on number and size of pizzas desired. Form each piece into ball and cover with damp cloth. Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape by flattening the dough into a disk using the palm of your hand. Start at the center and working outward, use your fingertips to press the disk to about 1/4-inch thick. Use one hand to hold the dough in place, use your other hand to stretch the dough outward. For a medium-thick pizza crust, repeat the stretching by turning the dough a quarterturn after each pull, until the correct diameter. For a thinner pizza, let the dough relax for 5 minutes, then continue stretching it until it has reached the correct diameter. Carefully lift the dough and transfer to pizza peel that has been lightly coated with semolina, brush dough very lightly with olive oil before topping and cooking.

5a. Put sausage and 1/4 cup water in medium-large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until water evaporates and sausage cooks through and browns, about 7 minutes.

5b.  Sauté peppers, mushrooms, and red onion until softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove and set aside.

6. Top pizza dough with a portion of sauce. Scatter a portion of  fresh herbs and toppings over sauce. Immediately slide dough onto heated quarry tiles or pizza stone. Follow cooking time on guide (see below), adding a portion of cheese at appropriate time.

7. Bake for about 8 minutes. Sprinkle on the cheese and bake for an addition 3-4 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is completely melted.