5 of 11

Write now Article Tools

Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza a day. Although purchasing frozen pizzas and taking pizza out from a restaurant are fast and easy ways to get your pizza fix, there is nothing like a homemade pizza. Homemade pizzas take a bit of work, but can be more healthful and flavorful (and less expensive) than purchased pizzas. Here are some tips on how to make your own.

The crust: Crusts can be purchased in the grocery stores, either baked or unbaked. You can sometimes go into pizzerias and purchase dough from them, which is a quick alternative to making your own. I have never found a purchased crust to be as good as a homemade one, however. It takes a little more effort, but it is well worth it. Here is my recipe:

1 c. warm water 1 pkg. instant yeast 1 Tbs. sugar 1 tsp. salt 3 c. flour 2 Tbs. olive oil

Put the warm water, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl (do not add the salt yet, as it may kill the yeast). After the yeast has dissolved and created a foam (about 5-10 minutes) turn the mixer on, and add the salt, oil and flour. Add the flour a little at a time, because you may need more or less than three cups. Add flour until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the mixer, but is tacky to the touch. Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with a towel, and place it in a warm spot for about an hour.

Prepare the ingredients: You can get the ingredients ready while your dough is rising. This is the fun part! The best ingredients for your pizza are the ones your family enjoys the most, and anything goes. Try to chop the ingredients into uniformly sized pieces, so they cook evenly. Also, it is also important to squeeze the moisture out of toppings like chopped artichokes, olives or pineapple. I put a lot of work into my toppings. Rather than raw onions and mushrooms, I sautee each of these to give them a sweeter, richer flavor. When it comes to ingredients, there are no rules!

Building your pizza: After the dough has risen to about double in size, roll it out into a 12 inch circle. It does not have to be perfect, and in fact misshapen homemade pizzas have a lot of charm! After rolling, put the sauce on first, then the ingredients, then the cheese. Many pizzerias put the toppings on top of the cheese; but putting the cheese on top bakes the ingredients into the pizza and allows the cheese on top to brown without overcooking or burning the topping ingredients. My personal exception to this is pepperoni. I like my pepperoni a little crunchy, so I put it on top of the cheese. Again, experimenting will show you a lot of options.

Baking your pizza: Having your oven very hot is the key to making a chewy pizza crust. Pre-heat your oven to 500 degrees before putting your first pizza in. Making your pizza on a peel (a wooden paddle), then sliding it onto a pizza stone that is heating along with your oven is the single best way to assure your crust is crunchy and chewy, like in a pizzeria.

Eating your pizza: Let the pizza set for 10 minutes before cutting it. It will still be hot, but the ingredients and the cheese will have a chance to sit for a bit. Use this time to build your next pizza and put it in the oven!

Hopefully this has inspired you to create your own pizzas! Pizza is a healthful food when prepared properly; and when you do it yourself there is no limit to how healthy you can make it. Enjoy!

Learn more about this author, Tina Lehman.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about How to make pizza?
We want to hear your view. Write now!