The Best Pizza Recipe Ever

Wondering wow to make the best pizza crust recipe? Read this, and wonder no more.

Ingredients: 

• .25 oz. packet of active dry yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup 110 degree water
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method: 

1. Pour the water into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and the yeast. Allow the mixture to rest for a minute or two.
2. Add the extra virgin olive oil and salt.
3. Add the flour.
4. Mix. A counter-top mixer with a dough hook attachment makes this step easier; however, a fork can be used until the dough becomes too sticky. Once the dough is at the really sticky point, push off the dough that has collected around the fork prongs with your thumb and finger and continue to mix by hand.
5. When the dough has been thoroughly mixed, knead for two to three minutes. Some people like to knead the dough on a flour covered countertop It is just as easy to continue to knead the dough in the same mixing bowl.
6. Cover the dough with a dry towel. Allow the dough to proof for three to four hours at room temperature. Do not place the dough in the refrigerator. If you do not have the time to wait for the dough to proof, then substitute more water for the extra virgin olive oil. When using only water, you may have to adjust the amount of water and/or flour depending upon the consistency of the dough.
7. Divide the dough in half and form into balls. Proofed dough balls can be stored refrigerated between five and seven days or sometimes longer. For longer lasting dough, skip step six. When the stored dough gets puffy and/or bubbly, it has gone bad and needs to be thrown away.

This dough recipe is for two thin crust pizzas.

Stretching the Dough:

Method One:

To hand stretch, punch the middle of the dough ball with the palm of your hand. Then, press around the edges with your fingers, leaving about ¼ inch width between the absolute edge of the dough and your fingertips. Lay both hands on the dough so that if you are right handed, your right index fingertip lies on top of your left index fingertip. Spread your fingers out wide, and your thumb tips should come together to form a straight line.

Your fingertips should be resting in the line you made at the edge of the dough. Rotate your hands at the wrists, keeping your fingers against the dough. Continue stretching the dough in this manner until you have an approximately twelve inch round dough skin. Make sure there is enough flour on the countertop to keep the dough from sticking.

A variation on this method is called "slapping the dough." To do this, stretch out the dough in the above prescribed method, but stop once the dough skin is slightly wider than your hand. Then pick up the skin in your one hand. If you are right handed, pick it up with your right hand, but if you are left handed pick it up with your left hand. Make sure the skin is hanging from your fingertips.

Now toss the dough skin to your other hand, catching it with your fingertips. With each catch of the dough, the palm of your hand should hit or "slap" the middle of the dough skin, while your fingers will catch at the edges and stretch the skin out a little bit at a time.

Method Two:

Make sure there is enough flour on the countertop to keep the dough from sticking, and then flatten out the dough ball with your hands. Make a fist with your right hand, and hang the dough skin on that fist. Make a fist with your left hand and place it underneath the dough opposite your right. Move your fists around the edges of the dough, keeping them opposite each other on the dough skin until you have an approximately twelve inch dough skin.

Method Three:

Make sure there is enough flour on the countertop to keep the dough from sticking, and then flatten out the dough ball with your hands. Take a rolling pin to the dough skin, and roll out the dough as thin as you can get it.

Dough stretching methods one and two produce a slightly thicker hand tossed taste. Using a rolling pin forces all of the air out of the dough skin, and will create a very cracker like crust.

Flavoring the dough:

The dough can be flavored two different ways. The simplest method is to visit your dried spice rack. At the point where you knead the dough, add dry granulated garlic, basil, oregano, or whatever you feel like.

Using Bakers Percentages to Scale Your Pizza Dough Recipe

One of the most popular foods of all time is pizza and everyone seems to love it, from young to old, and from meat lovers to vegetarians. The universal appeal of pizza is simple: delicious crust, savory tomato or white sauces and the toppings that seem to be unlimited in options. For those who must limit their intake of gluten due to celiac disease, there is a marvelous gluten free pizza recipe that can make eating pizza a joy and a pleasure without the worry of the wheat gluten side effects.

Creating a delicious pizza without the wheat flour is actually something that is not only possible but simple. There are a few important tricks to know and the ingredients will be a bit different but the outcome is the same and some say even better! A thin crust pizza is within reach for those who may have thought they could never eat pizza again.

The gluten free pizza recipe that can bring pizza back to the table for those with gluten intolerance is created from many of the same ingredients as mainstream pizza. The crust will be created from alternative flour, sometimes rice flour is used and there are others that can also be chosen for their flavor and suitability to the dough.

Toppings for the pizza will be nearly identical to those used on wheat pizzas, the difference is that when you are creating this specialty pizza, you will need to carefully read the labels and be on the lookout for those products that use gluten in them. One example is pepperoni, there are some that include gluten as a binding or filler and for that ingredient, use the specifically labeled "gluten free" brand. The same rule holds true for the sauces you use. Making them from scratch ensures purity and if you use a pre-made store bought brand, be careful to check the label for any stray gluten that you may not expect.

Here is a simple recipe to get you started. This is the recipe for the crust. Mix 1 cup tapioca flour, two teaspoon of unflavored gelatin powder, two teaspoon salt, two teaspoons of xanthan gum, one package yeast granules, two teaspoon of sugar, three teaspoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar, 1/2 to 1 cup of lukewarm water. Mix into a dough and roll it onto a greased pizza pan then bake your pizza in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.

The gluten free pizza recipe can bring the joy of pizza parties, pizza with movies and plain old fashioned pizza dinners back to the family who has been careful about the special dietary needs of someone in the home.

A Delicious and Healthy Pizza Recipe in 7 Easy Steps

Health is wealth as they say. In this age of technology where everything comes lightning fast and people seems to get stuck in a nine to five desk job with unhealthy lifestyles, maintaining to be healthy and fit is becoming a tedious task. Some exercise which is good and some watch what they eat and this recipe is actually to help on the healthy eating.

Who's among us don't like pizza? Of course everyone wants a piece of it. But there's a dilemma we are facing just thinking about eating one: delicious pizza isn't healthy and healthy pizza isn't delicious, right? Or if there's an available veggie pizza it turns out it cost that much more than your regular meaty pizza and it's not available a few blocks from your home.

This pizza recipe is a personal recipe made to fulfill a craving pizza lover who needs to start eating healthy without truly giving-up the delicious food.

Pizza Spectrum

pizza crust tofu (cubed or diced into tiny bits)

butter or oil

mushrooms

pineapple tidbits

cucumber

tomato sauce

green bell pepper

Edam cheese

mozzarella

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat your oven at 375 F (190 C) for 20 minutes.

2. Lay your pizza crust in a baking pan.

3. Spread the tomato sauce evenly on top of the crust. You can actually use any kind of brands of tomato sauce but I prefer Del Monte's Gourmet selection since it has already that distinctive classic taste that you don't need to add anything because the sauce is complete in itself.

4. Then add the grated cheese. For this particular recipe I used Edam cheese since that's what we have available. Though it's perfect since it's a bit salty so it became also a substitute for salt.

5. Meanwhile, fry the tofu in butter or oil. I prefer the tofu almost grounded for it's more crunchy and will appear and taste like unsalted chicharon. But if you don't like crunchy you can just slice it into cubes and don't over fry it so this way it will taste and feel like meat. Then sprinkle it on top of the crust.

6. Next add the remaining ingredients: cucumber, mushrooms, pineapple, and bell pepper and manage to decorate the pizza as well while adding them. Then sprinkle the grated mozzarella on top.

7. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until crust is brown. Then serve with hot sauce or ketchup.

What Are The Basics of a Standard Pizza Recipe?

Have you ever wondered how many types of pizza recipes there are, well probably thousands of different combinations. There are different pizza sauces, different pizza crusts recipes as well as an array of toppings that one can choose from. When it comes to a pizza recipe one can literally make up any combination they choose to. Here are some of the more common types of pizza on offer such as: 

• Deep dish pizza which has been around since the late 1900's and comprises of a thick bread crust of around and inch deep or more.
• The brick oven pizza which is backed in a wood fired brick over gives a unique flavor to the pizza. These types of oven are used for Neapolitan, and measure around ten inches in diameter. The toppings need to light and thin as the pizza are only baked for a couple of minutes.
• The Greek type stylepizza recipe comprises of a base and tasty toppings which include ingredients such as onion, tomato, mushrooms, broccoli, mozzarella and manouri cheese, black olives, basil, bell peppers and olive oil.
• The Chicago style recipe is a deep dish pizza which is traditionally from Chicago. The pizza has a butter crust with tomato sauce and a generous helping of various cheeses. Many people also stuff the crusts with various toppings.
• A pizza which is well known for its thin base and broad slices is the New York style. These pizza dish are served with traditional pizza toppings which include mozzarella, tomato and a light sauce. The crust is made from a high gluten flour and people commonly fold the slices and eat them. This type of pizza is baked in a coal burning oven which is far cooler as opposed to a brick oven, although takes longer to bake.
• Then there is the traditional Sicilian which comprises of a thick crust and is known to be one of the most popular pizza. This originated from Palermo in Italy. The topping comprises of anchovies and Pecorino cheese.

In addition to the above pizza recipe there are also other varieties such as the French bread, grilled, Italian, stuffed crust, thick crust, pan, vegetarian and a white pizza. However, the south of Italy is well known for its pizza recipe; the Capricciosa being their favorite due to the ingredients complementing each other perfectly.

According to surveys the most favored toppings and pizza recipe are those of the four seasons and the Quattro Stagione. When making a pizza one will start off by making the base and then making up of various toppings. You can add chopped tomatoes of tomato sauce can be used. One can use any type of cheese as well as any type of vegetables, meat or fish.

It is obvious that homemade pizzas are far healthier as opposed to bought out pizzas. When making a pizza recipe at home one has complete control over the ingredients used. Pizza has not been added to the junk food list as a pizza has considerable nutritional value as opposed to other fast foods.

Healthy Pizza Recipe for Pizza Margherita

It's a long-held belief in this country that pizza is junk food. There's certainly good reason for this. A typical slice of take out pizza is loaded with fat, calories, sodium, and processed ingredients. Fortunately for all you pizza-lovers out there, pizza can also be a healthy food. Using whole grains in the crust rather than highly processed ingredients helps lower your risk of stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Tomatoes contain the antioxidant Lycopene which help protect your body's cells, and using part-skim milk cheese keeps the saturated fat in check while providing calcium. Made with simple, fresh ingredients in less than 10 minutes, my version of pizza comes in under 300 calories per serving and you won't believe the price (see notes below recipe)

PIZZA MARGHERITA

1 whole grain English muffin

1/2 roma tomato, sliced thin

1/3 cup part-skim milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

fresh, chopped basil

Toast the English muffin. Layer the tomatoes onto the English muffin halves. Sprinkle on the basil, then the cheese. Put the pizza under the broiler until the cheese is melted.

NUTRITION

calories - 262

saturated fat - 4.6 g

sodium - 490 mg

fiber - 4 g

protein - 14.3 g

COST

$1.52/serving (Midwest prices)

All Natural Ground Beef Pizza Recipe With Green Peppers, Mushrooms, Onions and Olives

We all know that pizza is cheap these days, but for a really filling dinner with all natural ingredients, you can't beat making your own pie at home. It may take a little prep time, but it is well worth the work. A little teamwork or pre-planning can make a difference in prep time too. Get the whole family involved and the pizza will be made in no time.

Ingredients:

Dough Mix (non yeast dough):

• 2 cups flour
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 Tbsp canola oil

Topping:

• 3 medium tomatoes sliced
• ½ lb of natural ground beef
• 1 green pepper chopped
• 6 mushrooms sliced
• ½ onion chopped
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• Sliced black olives
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Mix dough ingredients, cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Knead dough just to remix everything and add flour if necessary to get a silk like consistency, it should not be sticky.
3. Pat dough out into large circle onto pizza stone, roll out onto stone using rolling pin until it forms a large circle, then pinch edges to hold topping better.
4. Cook in oven without topping for at least 10 minutes. Cook beef with onions until beef is nearly done, then add mushrooms, green pepper, basil, oregano, thyme, oil and garlic.
5. Take pre-cooked dough out of oven and put sliced tomatoes on top of the dough, then add the rest of the topping (beef etc), then olives and cheese on top.
6. Cook pizza for another 10-15 minutes until crust is golden brown. Do not over cook crust or burn.

About the dough mix: this dough does not require yeast. For those who suffer from abdominal bloating or gastrointestinal troubles including gas, following a yeast free diet can be quite helpful. Many people have never gone even a day without eating yeast so they don't realize the difference.

There are also many other ways to alter this recipe. You could cook the tomatoes with the beef so they get mixed in, or add in 2 Tbsp of tomato paste and some water to make a sauce consistency. In this case, you will need to add a little salt as well, most likely about ½ tsp.

You might also experiment with different cheeses. Some suitable choices might include Cheddar, Jack, Colby, Romano, Parmesan, Provolone, and feta. You can mix many cheeses together to give the pizza a completely different feel. A little extra Parmesan with garlic is very delicious.

Different meats or no meat at all can also be a great way to alter this pizza to suit the tastes of your family and to keep dinner time fresh. Pizza can be customized by section, which makes it a great food for young families with kids. If one doesn't like mushrooms, you just don't add it to their section, if the other hates tomatoes, off they go from her section.

This pizza is very healthy and can cost roughly $10 depending on where you live. Although fast food pizza can seem cheaper, the reality is that you will see this pizza to be more substantial and free of preservatives or unnecessary ingredients. Additionally, you can make two pizzas at once, add a salad or a simple soup with some breadsticks to fill out the meal.

Healthy Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Pizza

Before you reach for the phone to order pizza drenched with saturated fat and sodium, try my chicken tortilla pizza. This is a recipe I make when I know everyone in my family is going to be running in different directions. It's so easy to make them ahead of time. They'll keep for several days in the fridge so everyone can just reheat them when they come home, or store them in the freezer for later. You can also cut them up and grab a slice for a quick snack, satisfying those pizza cravings without all the fat and calories.

CHICKEN TORTILLA PIZZA

1 whole wheat flour tortilla

¼ cup part skim mozzarella cheese

1/3 cooked, shredded chicken

¼ cup pizza sauce

¼ cooked green pepper

Preheat oven to broil. Poke tortilla with a fork several times on both sides. Lightly spray tortilla on both sides with olive oil cooking spray or an olive oil spritzer. Place on cookie sheet and put under broiler until the tortilla just starts to brown. Flip the tortilla and crisp the other side. Remove from oven. Add sauce, cheese, chicken, and vegetables. Return to broiler and cook just until the cheese begins to melt.

Nutritional Info - 1 pizza

300 calories

7.6 g fat

3.5 g saturated fat

571 mg sodium

4.5 g fiber

29 g protein

Time Savers

Use the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own.

Make all the ingredients on the weekend and just assemble and cook the pizzas at dinnertime.

Options

Add mushrooms or any veggies you like.