Valeries Homemade Pizza Recipes

CAULIFLOWER CRUST PIZZA

Steps:

• Special equipment: a pizza stone and peel or two rimless baking sheets
• Place a pizza stone or rimless baking sheet in the oven; preheat to 475 degrees F.
• Add the cauliflower to a food processor; pulse until finely ground, about the consistency of couscous. Pour the cauliflower onto a clean kitchen towel (I like flour sack towels for this) and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
• To a large bowl, add the cauliflower, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, some black pepper and the egg. Mix until the mixture holds together when pinched.
• Line a pizza peel or a second rimless baking sheet with parchment paper; liberally brush with olive oil. Spread the cauliflower mixture into a 12-inch-wide circle on the parchment. Slide the parchment onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake until the cauliflower crust is barely golden and darker at the edges, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the crust from the oven, sprinkle with the mozzarella and spread the marinara sauce over the top (this keeps the crust dry). Slide the pizza back onto the pizza stone or baking sheet and bake until bubbly and browned in spots, about 4 minutes.
• Scatter the basil over the top. Slice and serve.

HOMEMADE PIZZA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, with the saucepan loosely covered in foil to avoid splattering and stirring occasionally, until fairly thick, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your tomatoes. Remove the basil.

DEEP-DISH SAUSAGE PIZZA

Steps:

• For the pizza dough: Whisk together the lukewarm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes, until the yeast begins to bubble and foam.
• Add the flour and kosher salt to a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix until just combined. With the mixer off, add the yeast mixture. Turn the mixer back on and knead, gradually increasing the speed from low to medium, until the flour and yeast are combined and the dough looks shaggy. Turn the mixer off again and add the melted butter. Mix, slowly increasing the speed to medium, until the dough holds together and the butter is completely incorporated, about 30 seconds. With the mixer on the lowest speed, knead the dough for 3 minutes. If the dough moves too high up the hook and is no longer being kneaded, turn the mixer off and push the dough back down.
• Coat a large bowl with the olive oil. Remove the dough from the stand mixer, form into a ball and place in the greased bowl. (The dough will feel tacky when it comes out of the mixer but should come out in one piece. If necessary, knead additional flour into the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.) Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
• For the marinara sauce: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepot. Add the onions and saute until softened, 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, crushed red pepper and salt; cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the stewed tomatoes, breaking up any large pieces. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Adjust the seasoning with salt to taste. Let cool. (Makes 1 1/4 cups.)
• For the sausage pizza: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the sweet Italian sausage and hot Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the sausage into small pieces. Remove to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
• Combine the mozzarella and Asiago in a bowl and reserve in the refrigerator.
• Place the proofed pizza dough on a lightly-floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour and roll into a 14-inch round, about 1/4-inch thick. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and transfer to a 10-inch nonstick springform pan. As evenly as possible, unroll the dough over the springform pan and guide the dough into the pan, pressing it evenly into the bottom and working it gently all the way into the edges. Next, lift the sides of the dough up and press against the sides of the pan, making sure the dough doesn't fold over itself at any point. The dough should come 2 inches up the sides of the pan.
• Add half of the cheese to the bottom of the crust, top with half of the sausage and then cover the sausage with the marinara sauce. Add the remaining cheese, followed by the rest of the sausage. Fold the top of the pizza dough over so that it sits evenly on top of the filling.
• Place the pizza on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Rotate, cover with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven when the crust is a deep golden brown and the cheese is melted. Let rest for 15 minutes before removing the sides of the springform pan. Serve with torn basil scattered over the top.

FOCACCIA PIZZA

Steps:

• Add the flour, salt and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Add the water, honey and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to a 2-cup measuring cup. Whisk to combine. Add the water mixture to the mixer bowl and use a rubber spatula to incorporate the ingredients slightly. Attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed until the mixture forms into a ball and no loose flour is left at the base of the bowl, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and knead for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour the remaining olive oil into a 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Turn the dough out onto the baking sheet. Turn it once to coat all the sides of the dough in the olive oil. Cover the pan with an inverted baking sheet of the same size and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• After 2 hours, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Remove the top baking sheet and, using the tips of your fingers, delicately stretch the dough until it almost reaches the edges of the pan. Cover again with the rimmed baking sheet and let the dough rest while you make the Sauce (see recipe below).
• Uncover the dough and delicately stretch the dough to reach all the edges of the pan again. If the dough springs back too much, let the dough sit for another 5 to 10 minutes before trying to stretch it further. Once the dough is stretched to fit the pan, top it with the sauce. Cover the sauce completely with the pepperoni, then top the pepperoni with the sliced cheese. Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the cheese is lightly browned in spots and the crust is golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the pizza from the oven and use a large spatula to transfer it to a cutting board. Top with dried oregano, red pepper flakes and Parmesan. Cut into 16 squares and serve immediately.
• Add the tomatoes, olive oil, salt, sugar and garlic to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.

PEPPERONI PIZZA BITES WITH HOMEMADE MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease the foil with olive oil. Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• In a small bowl combine the garlic, Parmesan, parsley and 1/4 cup olive oil. Set aside.
• Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out the pizza dough into a 12-by-14-inch rectangle. Arrange the dough with the 14-inch side parallel to you. With a ruler, mark every 4 inches along the 12-inch side. Cut the dough straight across at the marks to make three 4-inch-wide strips. Brush top of the strips with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Shingle the pepperoni slices over the dough strips. Sprinkle 3/4 to 1 cup of the mozzarella in a line down the center of each strip.
• Roll up each dough strip into a long log, as you would for cinnamon rolls. It is easiest to begin by folding the bottom of the dough up over the cheese; if there is any cheese sticking out, stuff it back into the roll. Continue rolling the dough over itself until it forms a log with dough on the outside and all of the pepperoni and mozzarella on the inside. Pinch the seams together, then pinch the sides together. Lightly brush the logs all over with olive oil and transfer them, seam-side down, to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake until golden brown, 12 minutes. Brush the tops of the logs generously with the garlic mixture and return to the oven for another 3 minutes, until the garlic is very fragrant but not yet browned. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Transfer the pepperoni rolls to a cutting board and slice into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Serve immediately with marinara sauce.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepot. Add the onions and salt and saute until softened, 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the tomato paste, oregano and crushed red pepper; cook 30 seconds to toast the tomato paste and spices. Stir in the chopped tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning with salt to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve, or cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container.

HOMEMADE PIZZA

Steps:

• In large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water; let stand for 5 minutes. Add oil and salt. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 2-3 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook beef and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink, breaking meat into crumbles; drain. , Punch down dough; divide in half. Press each half into a greased 12-in. pizza pan. Combine the tomato sauce, oregano and basil; spread over each crust. Top with beef mixture, green pepper and cheese. , Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.