Pizza Night

Today was one of those days where I just didn’t feel like cooking but I also didn’t want to spend the money to buy anything. Plus, I love to cook so I should able to make something quick and easy...like what though? Aha – pizza! It's 2PM and if I want to have dinner ready in time, I need to start making the dough ASAP. I discovered a great new blog recently that featured a pizza dough that that looked quick and easy. The pizza dough recipe I have been using lately is good but didn’t really have any impactful flavor to it. I gave this new recipe a whirl and it was great – definitely a keeper. It paired perfectly with our favorite toppings of mozzarella and pineapple. Actually this recipe made enough dough for two large pizzas. This great blog also featured another recipe for a Mexican pizza which I want to try with the other half of dough...maybe next week.

Pizza Dough
Recipe by A Couple Cooks
Makes 2 large pizzas

Ingredients:
4 cups white flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 ¾ cups warm water
Kosher salt (I used 1 Tbsp regular iodized salt)

Directions: In a food processor (I used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer with a dough hook), combine flour, 2 teaspoons yeast, ½ tablespoon olive oil, and salt. With the food processor on, slowly (I mean slowly, like over 30 seconds) start pouring in 1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups of warm water. Stop adding water when the dough form a single ball. If you add too much water and the dough gets sticky, just add a bit more flour. Leave the food processor on for about 10 more seconds to knead the dough a bit. Place the dough ball in a floured bowl, cover it with a towel, and allow it to rise for about an hour. After an hour, reform the risen dough into a ball. Divide it into two equal parts and either freeze it or allow it to relax for immediate use (See info below). To stretch the dough, gently press it out on the counter into a circle shape, about half the size of the final pizza. Then drape the dough over both of your knuckles and rotate it around, allowing it to stretch itself to a larger circle, about 10 inches in diameter. If the dough starts to resist stretching, put it down and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes, at which point it will stretch more easily.

To freeze: Place each dough ball in a zip-top bag and put in the freezer. The morning that you are going to use the dough, remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge to thaw. About 30 minutes before making the pizza, take it out of the baggie and allow it to relax on the counter, covered with plastic wrap. To use immediately: Cover each dough ball with plastic wrap, and let them sit on the counter for another 30 minutes to relax.

The final product.