It's Pizza Time!

Last night I made Pizza and it was dee-licious.

I've tried several pizza doughs but I keep going back to the recipe I've used for several years now. The dough does not rise much if at all and makes a very short crust similar to the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza...the real Chicago Pizza, not the stuff that is advertised as "Chicago Pizza".

But this time I decided to experiment a bit and added some sourdough starter. OH MY... sourdough starter made the pizza dough so good and I'm pretty sure I will add it again the next time I'm in the mood for pizza!





Pizza Dough
Recipe adapted from I-have-no-idea

For 1-1/2 lb. (makes two 12-inch pizzas or one 15-x-10-inch pizza)
1/4 c. plus 2 TBL water, warm
2 tsp yeast
3/4 c. milk
1-1/2 TBL EVOO
1 tsp salt
3 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sourdough starter
Semolina

For 1 lb. (makes one 12-inch pizza)
1/4 c. water, warm
1-1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 c. milk
1 TBL. EVOO
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sourdough starter
Semolina

Select recipe size desired. Pre-heat the oven at 400 degrees and place your baking stone in the oven to warm.

Mix yeast in warm water and let sit for about 5 minutes until you see some yeast action. Add sourdough starter, salt, milk and EVOO. Then gradually mix in flour. Dough will be very stiff. Rub EVOO on the inside of a bowl. Place dough in bowl and rub some EVOO on the top of the dough ball. Cover with a towel and put in a warm place for 4-5 hours. The dough will not rise much but just letting it ferment adds wonderful flavor.

Sprinkle some Semolina on your Peel. Now you're ready to form the pizza. I just do this with my hands and pull and stretch the dough until it is the right size.

As for topping, anything goes at my house. I make up small prep bowls of anything I-have-on-hand-at-the-time: Onions, Olives, Variety of Cheeses, Mushrooms, Sweet Pepper, Spaghetti Sauce, Pesto Sauce, Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Ham, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Ricotta Cheese. Heck, we've even put Green Beans on our pizza and it was pretty good.


When the oven is hot, gently slide the pizza from the peel onto the baking stone. I used my new Pizza Peel that my friend Lucy gave me and it worked beautifully!! I love it!!!

I turn down my oven to 350 degrees once I put the pizza in. Bake until the cheese is bubbly hot and the crust is a nice golden brown.

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