Pizza Dough

Ingredients
1(1/4 ounce) package dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm but not hot water
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina or cornmeal
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Cooking Instructions
Making the dough by hand:
1. Fill a measuring cup with 1/2 cup of the warm water. Stir in the yeast and sugar. Let the mixture rest until it is foamy, about 5 minutes.

2. Combine the flour, semolina or cornmeal, and salt in large mixing bowl. Stir in the olive oil. Stir in the yeast mixture and then slowly add remaining water until the dough is stiff and sticky. Turn the dough onto lightly floured board and knead until it is smooth, moist, and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer to an oil-lined bowl, cover with damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.

3. Punch down the dough once or twice and turn it out onto a lightly floured board. Cut it into 6 pieces for individual pizzas. Gently knead each piece into a ball. If baking soon, cover with towel and reserve on board. To store, tightly wrap each piece in plastic and store in the refrigerator for up to a day or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Making the dough with a food processor (for large-size processor):
1. Combine the 1/2 cup of the water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let the mixture rest until it is foamy, about 5 minutes.

2. In a processor fitted with the plastic dough blade, combine the flour, semolina or cornmeal, and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the oil and briefly process.

3. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture through the feed tube. Slowly pour in the remaining water just until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and forms a ball on top of the blade. Process for an additional minute. Remove the dough and knead on a floured board about 1 minute. Follow 'hand' instructions for rising.

Making the pizzas:
1. Preheat the oven to 500°F or heat the grill to medium.

2. On a well floured counter, roll the 6 pieces of dough out with a rolling pin into 6 or 8-inch rounds.

3. If you are grilling the pizzas, grill the pizza rounds until they are golden on both sides.

4. Have everyone put their favorite toppings on their pizza.

5. To finish grilling the pizzas, put them back on the grill and cook with the cover down to warm the toppings for 2 or 3 minutes. Or, bake the pizzas on baking sheets in the oven until the crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

This recipe serves: 6 | Preparation time: 15 minutes

Pizza Dough Recipe: Recipe by Food Fit

Pizza with Mushrooms and Three Colored Peppers

Ingredients
For the pizza dough:
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon milk
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon olive oil, plus extra

For the topping:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup fresh diced tomatoes, or use canned drained tomatoes
4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into rings
1 teaspoon dried oregano or chopped, fresh herbs
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
vinaigrette (optional)

Cooking Instructions
For the pizza dough:
1. Mix the water, milk and yeast together in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon.

2. Add the flour, salt and olive oil. Mix together with a wooden spoon until the dough is too thick and sticky to stir.

3. Spread a little flour on a work surface and place the dough on top of the flour. Knead the dough by pulling the dough from the sides and folding it in the middle. Keep kneading until the dough becomes a smooth ball. If it sticks to the table or to your hands, add a little more flour.

4. Rub a clean bowl with the olive oil and put the dough in it. Cover the bowl with a towel and put it in a warm place. Let the dough rise for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in volume.

5. Punch the raised dough down with your fist. Turn the dough over, form it into a ball again, cover, and let rise for another hour.

6. Heat the oven to 450°F. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin or use your hands to pat the dough into a circle about 12" to 14" across and 1/4"-thick. Place the dough on an oiled baking sheet.

For the topping:
1. Sprinkle the garlic and spread the olive oil over the rolled dough, then spread the tomatoes on top. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese, leaving the edge of the pizza free. Spray a skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place over medium -high heat. Sauté the peppers and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Place the vegetables on top of the cheese. If desired, drizzle a little vinaigrette on top of the pizza for added flavor.

2. Bake until nicely browned and crispy, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the pizza into 8 slices.

This recipe serves: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Pizza with Mushrooms and Three Colored Peppers [Recipe Brought to you by FoodFit]

Zucchini, Mushroom and Taleggio Tart

Try making this light appetizer with the wild mushrooms that are gaining popularity at farmers’ markets around the country. If you can’t find Taleggio cheese, use a soft goat cheese instead. Serves 8.

Ingredients:
* 2 Tbs. olive oil
* 1 lb. zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch rounds (about 3 cups)
* 10 oz. mushrooms, sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)
* 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
* 2 Tbs. Madeira wine
* 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (1/2 17.3-oz. pkg.)
* 3 oz. Taleggio cheese, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of zucchini and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned on both sides. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining zucchini. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Add remaining olive oil to skillet. Sauté mushrooms 7 to 10 minutes, or until browned and liquid has evaporated. Stir in garlic and thyme, and cook 1 minute. Add Madeira, and sauté 1 minute more, or until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.

3. Place puff pastry on prepared baking sheet. Prick dough all over with fork, leaving 1/2-inch border on all sides. Spread mushrooms over pastry inside border. Lay zucchini and cheese over mushrooms. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and cheese has melted. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Zucchini, Mushroom and Taleggio Tart

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

1 Tbs. active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbs. olive oil
11/2 tsp. salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 to 2 cups bread flour

Directions:
1. Mix yeast with 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl, and set aside until yeast begins to foam, for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Add remaining water, olive oil and salt, and stir to combine. Using a portable or standing mixer, add flour by cupfuls until a sticky dough comes together. Knead by machine, or put dough on lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Put dough in a bowl, cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 11/2 hours, or until doubled.

3. Punch dough down, and form into equal-sized balls for 2 large or 4 small pizzas. Spray pizza pans or baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray, or rub with olive oil. Let dough rest for 30 minutes, shape into pizza crusts and place in pans or on sheets. Makes 2 Large or 4 Small Crusts.

Vegetarian Times: Whole Wheat Pizza Crust 05/01/2004 p46

Skillet Pizza

When shopping for pesto, choose refrigerated tubs instead of cans or jars; they have the most flavor and the least sodium.

8 oz. chilled pizza dough (1/2 of 16-oz. pkg.)
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. prepared refrigerator pesto
1/2 cup shredded low-moisutre part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 Tbs. low-fat ricotta cheese
1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

Directions:
1. Set rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 500F.

2. Stretch dough into 10-inch round. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over high heat. Cook dough round 3 minutes, or until brown and crisp on bottom. Turn dough over in skillet using 2 spatulas. Remove from heat.

3. Spread 2 Tbs. pesto over crust in skillet. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Top with dollops of ricotta, spaced well apart. Set zucchini rounds around ricotta.

4. Place skillet in oven; bake pizza 8 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Spoon remaining pesto over zucchini rounds, and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Cut into 4 wedges, and serve. Serves 4.

Vegetarian Times: Skillet Pizza 05/01/2006 p42

Tortilla Personal Pizza

If you’re not a fan of feta, dollops of ricotta cheese or slices of fresh mozzarella make luscious substitutions.

1 whole wheat tortilla
1 Tbs. prepared pesto
1 large tomato, sliced
1/4 cup artichoke hearts in water, rinsed, drained and sliced
2 oz. low-sodium feta cheese
2 tsp. pine nuts
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread pesto over tortilla. Top with tomato, artichokes, cheese and pine nuts.

2. Bake 12 minutes, or until tortilla is toasted around edges. Top with fresh basil and serve immediately.

Vegetarian Times: Tortilla Personal Pizza 05/01/2006 p69

Traditional Pizza Margherita

Pizza alla Margarita (Makes four 12-inch pizzas)

Ingredients: Pizza Dough
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Neapolitan Pizza Sauce
Coarse cornmeal
½ pound fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated and drained in a sieve
20 fresh basil leaves, cut into very thin strips
If you want a really crispy, evenly baked crust, take the time to squeeze the tomatoes of excess liquid when you make the sauce and drain the mozzarella briefly in a sieve before you put the pizzas together.

Directions: Prepare the pizza dough dividing into four portions after the first rising.

When the dough has risen for the second time, place the oven rack in the lowest position, center a pizza stone over it and preheat the oven to 475 F. (See below for notes on baking pizzas without a stone.)

Roll or stretch the dough balls out to a 12-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick with a slightly thicker border around the edge. Brush each circle lightly with some of the olive oil. Working with one crust at a time, sprinkle a pizza peel or flat baking sheet generously with the cornmeal. Place the circle of dough on the cornmeal and spoon 1/4 cup of the pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a thin border around the edge. Scatter one fourth of the mozzarella over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the pizza lightly with salt and scatter some of the basil over it. Drizzle a little of the remaining olive oil over the cheese.

To Bake the Pizzas on a Pizza Stone: Pull the oven rack out partially and slide the pizza onto one side of the stone. The best way to do this is to bring the peel down to the stone and lift the peel until the pizza starts to slide. Once the crust makes contact with the stone, pull the peel quickly from the pizza. Make sure you center the peel and pizza over the stone so the pizza doesn’t overhang the stone when you remove the peel. Push the rack back in, close the oven and bake until the pizzas are golden brown underneath and the cheese is melted, about 8 minutes. (If you are using two stones, you may bake two pizzas at a time. Position the stones on racks in the lowest and highest positions before heating the oven.

Check the pizzas as they cook, they may brown differently from stone to stone.) Remove the pizzas as they are done by nudging them onto the peel with a spatula or pair of tongs. Allow a few minutes for the stone to reheat before cooking another pizza on it.

Traditional Pizza Margherita

Butternut Squash Pizza

1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled
1 small yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1-pound package refrigerated pizza dough
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup fresh ricotta

Heat oven to 400° F.

Cut the squash into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then cut each slice into 1-inch chunks. Place the squash and onion on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil, season with the salt and pepper, and toss. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Increase oven temperature to 450° F. Roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick. Clean the baking sheet and sprinkle it with the cornmeal. Place the dough on top. Scatter the squash and onion mixture over the dough, sprinkle with the thyme, and add dollops of the ricotta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Slice into wedges.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Butternut Squash Pizza : RealSimple.com

Italian Vegetable Pizzas

Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons clear Italian salad dressing
• 1/2 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces, or one 10-ounce package frozen cut asparagus, thawed
• 1 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini, cut into julienne strips (1-1/2 cups)
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 3 8-ounce packages Boboli (six 6-inch Italian bread shells)
• 1/4 cup clear Italian salad dressing
• 1 ripe large tomato, seeded and chopped (1 cup)
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
• 1/3 cup finely shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese

*Asiago cheese is a hard cheese with a sharp flavor. Look for it in large supermarkets or specialty shops.

Directions
1. In a medium skillet heat the 2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing. Add asparagus and summer squash or zucchini; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 1 minute more.

2. Place bread shells on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush bread shells with the 1/4 cup Italian salad dressing. Using a slotted spoon, top bread shells with the cooked asparagus mixture. Top with chopped tomato; sprinkle with pepper. Combine mozzarella cheese and Asiago or Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pizzas.

3. Bake in a 400 degree F oven about 8 minutes or until cheese melts and pizzas are heated through. Cut the pizzas into wedges to serve. Makes 12 appetizer servings.

Better Homes and Gardens: October 2004

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pizza

Ingredients:
1 Italian pizza crust (12 inch)
1 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup DI GIORNO Shredded Parmesan Cheese, divided
3 plum tomatoes, sliced
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. shredded fresh basil

Preparation:
Brush pizza crust with oil. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the cheese.

Top with tomatoes and remaining 1/4 cup cheese; sprinkle with pepper.

Place directly on oven rack.

Bake at 450°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is crisp and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with basil just before serving.

Prep Time: 10 min | Total Time: 20 min | Serves: Makes 4 servings.

WFAA: September 2003