First off – a disclaimer: I love pizza.  Whether thin crust or thick (although I have yet to taste an authentic deep-dish in Chi-town), white and sparse or saucy and heavily laden with toppings, I delight in the endless varieties and possibilities which are only limited by one’s imagination.

So, having gotten that out… you can understand why we make pizza almost once a week.  It’s a great easy meal which you can get pull together relatively quickly.  If you make the dough right when you get home, then the rising leaves plenty of time for laundry, emptying the dishwasher or whatever you need to do around the house.  Pizza is also a fantastic use for any leftovers, ends or nibs that have accumulated in various refrigerated containers throughout the course of the week.

 

I used to make pizza using those pre-made doughs or prepared crusts that you can find at most supermarkets these days – until Ina enlightened me.  Ina Garten did a lovely show with pizzas on the grill which captured my imagination and provided enough inspiration to tackle a new dough frontier in the kitchen.  As we have yet to master the use of the grill for pizza – perhaps another noble goal for this summer – the oven version has become our go-to on nights when we don’t want to think too deeply about a dinner decision or expend much energy in its preparation.

 

The return of farmers’ markets also brings a whole new slew of topping options, invigorating our weekly pizzas by providing fodder for creative combinations.

 

So experiment away – the recipe below is for a basic crust and usually makes enough for 2 (9-10”) pizzas.  We usually freeze half of the dough after the first rise, and then put it in the fridge either the night before or the morning of the day when we want to have it for dinner. 

 

Easy-peasy Pizza Dough

Adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients

1 ¼ c. very warm water

4 ½ t. yeast

1 T. honey

3 T. olive oil

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

2 t. salt

 

Equipment

Required: oven, preheated to 500°F for at least a ½ hour prior to baking

Optional: stand mixer, rolling pin, pizza stone or an unglazed slab of quarry tile

 

In the bowl of a mixer, combine the yeast with the warm water, honey & olive oil.  Let bloom for 5 minutes or so (if the yeast still looks like little pellets discard & get some new yeast).   Add in 2 c. of all-purpose flour & 1 c. of whole wheat flour so that it covers the liquids.  Add in the 2 t. salt on top of the flour, and then mix until combined with a dough hook or a wooden spoon if using a bowl.  Knead (with dough hook or by hand) for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.   Let site while you lightly oil a bowl.

 

Shape into a ball and place in the oiled bowl; let rise for at least 45 minutes or until doubled in size. 

 

At this point, take the dough out & divide into as many pieces as you’d like – we generally divide in half for two 9” pies.   Freeze half if not using; otherwise re-shape halves into balls and let rise again for as long as you can wait – sometimes we skip this step but it does make for a nice airy crust if you let the dough rise again for ½ hour – 45 minutes.

 

Stretch or rollout the dough into your desired shape – square if using a cookie sheet; round is easier if you have pizza peel; use a rolling pin if it’s easier for you… have fun with the dough.   Once shaped on the tool or pan that you plan to transfer it into the oven, the dough is ready to receive the toppings of your dreams.  Recently ours have featured mushrooms, spinach, onions, pine nuts, greenhouse tomatoes, and of course mozzarella.  This summer a homemade pizza sauce may also be in the cards if I plan properly for the annual tomato glut at the farmers’ market.

 

Transfer to your hot oven and cook for about 8-10 minutes (this will vary based on how many toppings and how much liquid needs to cook out of them for your liking). 

 

Pull from the oven and let cool for 3 minutes prior to carving up into slices or squares.