one-rise pizza dough

I have a friend who swears by her homemade pizza dough recipe…all three rises of it.  It’s practically an all day affair to make it, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.  While I might spend all day making pizza dough once in a while, the vast majority of the time I just want to get it done.  Apparently, so did my mom.

This recipe came out of her archives and, in fact, was labelled “Mom’s Famous Pizza Crust.”  It’s fast, easy, and just an all-around good crust.  The recipe says it makes two, 12″ round pies but I found that resulted in the crust being too thin.  I made one thicker pie, which was plenty for the three of us with a side salad.  If you’re feeding more than that, double the recipe.  Then, top with your choice of goodies (it’s a hearty crust, so it withstands toppings well), and enjoy!

 

One-Rise Pizza Dough (courtesy my mom’s recipe collection)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 to 3 c unsifted flour
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 pkg dry yeast
• 1 c tap water, very hot
• 2 Tbps vegetable or canola oil

Directions:

1. In large bowl mix one cup of flour, sugar, salt, and undissolved yeast, gradually adding hot water and oil.
2. Mix or stir balance of flour and knead until smooth (about 10 min).
3. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise until dough is double in size (about 45 min).
4. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
5. After dough has risen, stretch over a 12″ x 18″ greased pan or cookie sheet.
6. Cover with toppings of your choice and bake 30 – 40 min.

 

 

chicken and herb white pizza

The first thing my husband said to me after eating this pizza was, “You can make that one anytime!”  Need I type more?  This pizza was so good I don’t even have words for it.  If you’re bored with same-same pizza (we eat ham and pineapple pizza almost every time we eat pizza since it’s Kat’s favorite), this recipe is a breath of fresh air.  It’s full of incredible flavor from the savory white sauce and plentiful fresh herbs.  Better yet, it doesn’t come with the overwhelming guilt of a regular pizza.  The nutrition info provided with the recipe was for a six-slice pie, but I cut mine into 8 pieces.  Taking that into consideration, the 8-slice pie contains approximately 272 cal, about 6 g of fat, and a little less than 20 g of protein per slice.  See?  Practically no guilt.  Have seconds.

Truth is, I had two slices and never saw another slice of this pizza again.  A certain someone (a-hem) called dibs on the leftovers for lunch the next day and that was that.  Next time I’ll make two.

Chicken and Herb White Pizza

Recipe courtesy Cooking Light, October 2011

Ingredients:

• 1 pound refrigerated fresh pizza dough
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray; let dough stand, covered, for 15 minutes.

3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add flour and pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 3 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

4. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal; roll dough into a 12-inch circle on prepared baking sheet. Spread white sauce over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.  Top with chicken and onion.  Bake at 450° on bottom oven rack for 17 minutes or until crust is golden.  Sprinkle with herbs.

Kitchen Notes:  I used a raw pizza dough from Sprouts Farmers Market and followed the baking directions provided with the dough: 375 for 20 minutes.