Grandmas Pizza Recipes

GRANDMA PIZZA

Steps:

• Place water in a bowl large enough to hold both the water and all the dry ingredients and still have room to spare. Mix together dry ingredients in another bowl.
• Add dry ingredients to water a bit at a time and mix thoroughly to form a dry rough mass.
• Pour the oil over the dough, mix again to scrape off any dough residue stuck to side of the bowl, and place the rough shaggy dough onto a work surface.
• Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, place a clean bowl inverted over the dough and wait 30 minutes before resuming. Return to kneading (just make sure to knead for at least a total of 5 minutes).
• Place the bowl over the dough once more and let sit for 30-40 minutes to warm up before forming the dough ball.
• After 40 minutes pull the dough towards its end repeatedly to form a smooth ball. Pinch the seam side and place the dough ball seam side down into an oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before using.
• Take the dough out of the fridge 2 hours prior to using. Do not uncover the bowl. Oil the bottom of a 12 by 16 sheet pan (or standard half sheet pan) with 3/8's cup of olive oil. You need to use a lot of oil!
• Remove the dough from the bowl and place it into the pan. With your fingertips begin pressing the dough into the corners of the pan. You will not be able to do this in one attempt. Place plastic over the pan and let the dough warm up.
• After 45 minutes remove the plastic and try to stretch it again to the size of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and repeat process one more time until the dough has completely filled the pan. Cover the dough one more time and set aside. Preheat oven to 450f and set one rack to the lowest level of the oven and one to the highest.
• Hand crush the plum tomatoes and drain the juice. Save the juice for another use. Add a ½ teaspoon of kosher salt to the tomatoes and set aside.
• Mince the garlic and add to a bowl with a ¼ cup of olive oil.
• Remove the plastic from the pan and if required press the dough into the edges. Right away layer the mozzarella cheese in an overlapping shingle pattern, leaving the outside 1/4 to 1/2 inch uncovered. Start with a corner. By pressing the dough down slightly you can lock the dough into the corner. Make sure the dough is layered completely with the mozzarella slices.
• Next, add the drained plum tomatoes to the pizza. You can use 45 degree lines or spoon the sauce all over. Leave some open areas. Don't coat it all. Take the garlic oil and drizzle 3 tablespoons of the oil and garlic pieces all over the pizza.
• Place the pizza onto the lowest rack and cook for 12 minutes rotating the pan 180 degrees after 6 minutes.
• After 12 minutes remove the pizza from oven and check the bottom for browning. If the pizza is well-browned, bake on top rack for 6 more minutes. Otherwise, leave the pizza on the bottom rack for 6 more minutes.
• After 18 minutes of baking remove the pizza and sprinkle with the oregano and Pecorino Romano cheese. Bake for 2 minutes more on top oven rack.
• If the Grandma pizza is not crisp enough on top, you can broil for 30-60 seconds. Watch very carefully though!
• The total cooking time will be approximately 20-22 minutes. Let the pizza sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

GRANDMA'S PIZZA

Steps:

• For the dough: Combine the flour, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Stir to combine, then add 1 cup water. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together into a rough ball. Continue mixing at medium-low speed until the dough forms a smooth, silky ball, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a tight ball, set in the bottom of the mixer bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the dough has roughly doubled in size, about an hour.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Cut the dough in half; you should have enough for two 9-by-13-inch baking sheets. You can make both pizzas now, or hold the dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Lightly oil one or two 9-by-13-inch baking sheets. Add the dough and press down on it to spread it toward the edges. You won't be able to get it all the way to the edges, so spread it as much as you can without tearing. If the dough isn't stretching well, cover and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then stretch again.
• For the sauce: Put the tomatoes, olive oil, basil, garlic and some salt in a blender and puree until smooth.
• For the topping: Spread the sauce all the way to the corners of the dough. Top the sauce with the mozzarella and sprinkle with black pepper and chile flakes if using. Bake until the dough is crisp and the cheese is melted, 10 to 12 minutes. Top with the basil and some Parmesan and serve.

GRANDMA-STYLE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with rack in lower third lined with a pizza stone or baking sheet. Drizzle a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with 3 tablespoons oil. Turn dough out onto center of sheet (do not punch down). Starting in center and using both hands, press down and stretch dough outward with your fingertips, working to edges of pan in an even thickness. Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise again until doubled in volume, 30 to 45 minutes. (Dough should come about three-quarters up sides of sheet.)
• Lightly drizzle dough with oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake on stone until puffed and beginning to set on top, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, if using mushrooms, toss with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Remove dough from oven.
• Spread 1 1/4 cups sauce evenly over dough. Sprinkle with mozzarella, then dollop with small spoonfuls of remaining 3/4 cup sauce. Top with mushrooms, pepperoni, or both. Sprinkle with oregano. Return to oven and continue baking until crust is puffed and golden brown in places and cheese is melted and bubbly, 18 to 20 minutes more (if browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil). Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

GRANDMA PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine water and yeast in a bowl; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add flour, salt, sugar, and oil, stirring until a ragged dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead with floured hands until elastic and tacky but no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl brushed with oil, turning dough to evenly coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours; or refrigerate until doubled in volume, at least 12 hours and up to 3 days (return to room temperature before using, 1 to 2 hours).

GRANDMA PIZZA

Steps:

• Place potato into a large pot and cover with cold water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain. Mash the potato and let cool to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Combine flour, brown sugar, salt, yeast, and 2 tablespoons oil in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add water and mix on low speed until it comes together and no dry flour remains. Add the potato and increase speed to medium until dough is stretchy.
• Coat the bottom of a square, lipped baking sheet with the rest of the oil. Place the dough on the baking sheet and spread it out, edge to edge. Use cooking spray to coat plastic wrap. Cover the dough and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a cold, 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and flip the garlic until is lightly browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, onion powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes and combine for about 2 minutes; add sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in basil. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Remove the plastic wrap and adjust the pizza dough if necessary, ensuring it fills the pan from corner to corner. Spread 1 cup of sauce over the crust using a spoon, leaving a 1-inch border. Coat the top with 1/2 of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and add mozzarella cheese evenly over the entire pizza. Add more tomato sauce randomly over the pizza and add remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Return to the oven and bake until crust is well browned and cheese is melted and lightly browned in spots, about 10 minutes. Cool at room temperature for 5 minutes before cutting.