PIE #10 - PIZZA!

We take a break from our regularly scheduled pie-gramming to feature a savory pie: PIZZA!

Truth be known, I’m getting weary of sweet pies. The big sweet tooth I was born with has slowly shriveled through the years. My palate has evolved. Most sugary desserts no longer hold an allure, and thankfully so as excessive sugar intake is a known health hazard.

My husband Joe has even chimed in over my weekly pie baking. He just returned from a week in Louisiana, a mecca of rich cuisine that threatened to foil his efforts at trimming his expanding waistline. So alas, the pies I bake each week present a temptation that neither of us appreciate.

With that said, I take a break this week to focus on pizza pie. Pizza has been one of my favorite meals since childhood. I recall the weekly pizzas my mom would make using a Chef Boy-ar-dee pizza kit. Remember those? Pizza in a box! Cardboard crust, ketchupy sauce, greasy discs of pepperoni floating atop! I probably loved the anticipation more than the actual pizza. And I know I loved the fact that pizza signaled the end of a school week and the start of a fun weekend. So I continued that tradition with my family with Friday pizza nights.

Early on I came across a winner crust and sauce recipe that my entire family loved. I’ve long lost the actual printed recipes but having made this meal nearly 1000 times, according to my calculations, the recipe is indelibly seared into my memory. The recipe makes two 16” pizzas. I par bake both crusts for 15 minutes. I freeze one crust for later use since we are currently a one pizza family. I love my perforated pizza pans purchased 25 years ago. They produce a lovely crust, neither too crispy nor soggy.

For a special treat, I tuck in halved mozzarella sticks into the crust edge. Just roll the dough out an extra couple of inches to encase the cheese sticks, pig-in-the-blanket style. I like to dip this part of the crust into extra marinara sauce.

So here’s my tried-and-true pizza recipe now published for posterity. I hope future generations of Cocos will continue the pizza tradition! Buon Appetito!

CRUST (makes two):

6 cups of flour (I use 4 cups unbleached white and 2 cups home-ground whole wheat)
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine flour and salt in a large mixer bowl. (I used a KitchenAid with a dough hook attachment). Heat water to 115 degrees. Add in sugar and yeast. Wait five minutes or until water mixture begins to foam. Add water and oil to flour mixture. With dough hook attachment, knead mixture for five minutes and until a dough ball forms. Add water or flour to achieve proper consistency if necessary. Cover bowl with towel and let dough rise until doubled, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll dough out to fit a 16” pizza pan. Repeat with remaining dough ball. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Remove crusts. If using only one crust, allow it to cool then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for another time. Spread half of sauce over crust. Remaining sauce can be frozen for later use.

Top with mozzarella cheese and your choice of toppings. My pizza is typically divided into quadrants. When the kids lived at home, each quadrant was topped with each person’s favorite toppings. Joe always opted for pepperoni, olives and mushrooms. I am a combination gal open to any topping except pineapple and seafood. My sweet little granddaughter likes veggie toppings and who knows what the twins will favor once they start eating solid food. I have a hunch I’ll be baking two pizzas at a time by then! Buon Appetito!

MARINARA SAUCE:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 15 ounce cans tomato sauce

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté until golden brown. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, seasoning, sugar, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  This sauce can be used over pasta as well. Makes enough for 2 16” pizzas.