homemade pizza dough and sauce recipe

Ingredients for Pizza Dough:

•  1 teaspoon of yeast (3 grams)
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
•  flour: 300 grams.
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Warm water as needed

Pizza Dough Preparation:

1. Start by ensuring that the yeast, flour, and sugar are all at room temperature. Generally, keep these ingredients out of the fridge for at least an hour before making the dough.
2. Half a cup of warm water should be poured into a large mixing bowl. Make sure it's warm, not hot, as hot water can kill the yeast. 
3. For water, the best temperature should be forty to forty-three degrees Celsius.
4. Put a one-tea spoonful of yeast into a cup of mixed water.
5. Add a teaspoon of yeast to the warm water.  If you prefer using active dry yeast and allowing it to activate slowly, use only 1/3 teaspoon of yeast (1 gram).
6.  Add a teaspoon of sugar.
7. Gently stir and leave it for 5-10 minutes. You will see the yeast rising forming the froth.
8. In a mixing bowl, add the sifted flour, salt, and a tablespoon of olive oil.
9. Combine all these ingredients to produce dough.
10. To make the mixture smooth and not sticking, you’ll have to apply an additional water quantity of about 2 -3 tablespoons little by little.
11. However, if the dough feels too sticky then you may dust very lightly with a tiny amount of flour.
12. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. Place the dough onto your kitchen counter and use your palm to push it through.
13. The pizza dough should become soft after some time and if you press your finger on it, it should rebound slowly. This is an indicator that the dough is ready.
14. Flatten the dough into a small roll, then sprinkle with enough oil to keep it moist. Also, oil your bowl.
15. Place a cloth over the bowl or wet cloth and allow the dough to proof at room temperature for one and a half hours until the dough doubles in size. The ideal temperature for dough rising is 26-32 degrees Celsius (80-90 degrees Fahrenheit). Depending on the temperature, it may take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours. It's best not to be too strict with the timing and let the dough double in size.

Making Pizza Sauce:

Homemade pizza sauce made from fresh tomatoes and herbs is much more delicious than store-bought, and it makes a significant difference in your homemade pizza.

Ingredients for Pizza Sauce:

• 500 grams of tomatoes.
• 2 cloves of garlic.
• 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
• 2 tablespoons of oil.
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• 1 teaspoon of sugar.
• 1 teaspoon of dried herbs like basil, oregano, or thyme.
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black or white pepper.

Instructions for Making Pizza Sauce:

1. Start by blending the tomatoes in a blender or food processor until smooth.
2. Heat 1.5 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add finely chopped garlic, and sauté for about a minute until fragrant.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the garlic and oil and stir for a moment.
4. Pour in the blended tomatoes. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
5. Partially cover the pan and let it simmer on low heat until the tomatoes thicken into a sauce. Be careful as it might splatter, so keep the heat low to prevent this.
6. Once the sauce reaches the desired thickness, add 1 teaspoon of dried herbs and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper according to your taste. Adjust with more herbs, pepper, or salt if necessary.
7. The sauce should have a thick, spreadable consistency. It should not be too runny to avoid making the pizza soggy. Set it aside for later use.

Pizza Preparation:

1. Prepare your choice of toppings, including onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, and hot peppers. You can use any vegetables you prefer.
2. Grate the cheese.
3. Let the vegetables sit at room temperature for a few hours to avoid moisture from seeping into the pizza. If you use jarred olives, strain them.
4. When you're ready to make pizza, preheat the oven to the highest temperature (usually 220-240 degrees Celsius) for at least 10-15 minutes.
5. Place a baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven and heat it as well.
6. If the pizza dough is too sticky, sprinkle a little flour and knead it again.
7. Sprinkle some flour evenly on the baking sheet.
8. Take a ball of pizza dough and flatten it with your fingers, shaping it into a disc. Make the edges slightly thicker than the center. You can use a rolling pin.
9. Carefully place the pizza base onto the baking sheet.
10. Use a fork to poke the base to prevent it from puffing up too much during baking.

Assembling and Baking the Pizza:

1. Spread your prepared pizza sauce evenly over the base.
2. Add a layer of grated cheese, followed by your choice of toppings. Sprinkle more cheese on top.
3. Sprinkle some dried herbs and red pepper flakes on top, according to your preference.
4. Place the baking sheet with the pizza into the preheated oven.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden and crispy. Adjust the baking time as needed.
6. Allow the pizza to cool for a moment, then slice and serve hot.

Enjoy your homemade pizza!

 the recipe for making homemade pizza with meat. 

Ingredients for the Dough:

• 500 grams of all-purpose flour (4 cups)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons of powdered milk
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1/2 cup of olive oil (100 ml)
• 1 cup of fine semolina flour
• 2 cups of warm water

Ingredients for the Filling:

• 3 tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• Red and green bell peppers
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 onion
• Spices (black pepper and salt)
• Olive oil
• 250 grams of thinly sliced chicken breast
• Fresh parsley
• Thyme
• Shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

For the Dough:

1. In a large bowl, combine 250 grams of all-purpose flour with salt, yeast, powdered milk, sugar, and 2 cups of water.
2. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and knead the dough. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it ferment for 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, add olive oil and semolina flour and the remaining 250 grams of all-purpose flour.
4. Knead the ingredients until you have a firm dough.
5. Shape the dough and place it in a baking dish.
6. Preheat the oven to a medium temperature and bake the dough for 5 minutes, then remove it.

For the Tomato Sauce:

1. Chop together the tomatoes, red pepper, and the garlic clip, in a pan adding half a glass of water.
2. Put the ingredients on the stove and let them simmer until they're cooked.
3. In a skillet, slice the onion thinly.
4. Add the onion to the skillet with a bit of black pepper, salt, and olive oil.
5. Sauté the onion over low heat, then remove it.
6. Sauté the chicken breast with a pinch of black pepper, salt, and olive oil in the same skillet.
7. Add some fresh parsley to the chicken breast.
8. Once the tomatoes are cooked, blend them in a blender.
9. Include some thyme, salt, crushed black pepper, and olive oil in the sauce.
10. Add some chili flakes if you like it spicy (optional).
11. Return the sauce to the saucepan and simmer it until it's ready.

For Assembling the Pizza:

1. In a skillet, sauté the red and green bell peppers with olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
2. Spread the tomato sauce on the dough.
3. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese, then add the chicken breast, sautéed onion, and bell peppers.
4. Sprinkle a bit of thyme drizzle some olive oil, and garnish with some olives.
5. Put the pizza in the oven for 10 minutes.
6. Remove the pizza from the oven and add the shredded cheese.
7. Put the pizza in the oven for another five minutes while the cheese gets melted again.

Notes:

• You can add any vegetables, meats, or cheeses to the filling according to your preference.
• You can adjust the amount of spices as desired.

Common Questions

-What's the best flour for pizza dough?

"00" flour is considered the gold standard for making authentic Italian pizza. However, all-purpose flour is widely used by home cooks because it gives similar results.

-How long should you knead pizza dough?

 Kneading for 10 to 15 minutes is usually sufficient. Focus on the dough's texture; it should be soft and slowly bounce back when pressed.

-Can you refrigerate pizza dough?

 Yes, after the dough has risen, you can divide it into portions, shape them into balls, cover them, and place them in the refrigerator.

-How to cook pizza without an oven?

If you don't have an oven, you can cook pizza in a skillet on the stovetop.

-Why does pizza smell or taste yeasty?

Strong yeast smell or taste may result from too much yeast, high-temperature baking, or prolonged baking. It can leave a strong yeast smell even after thorough baking. Less yeast and longer fermentation time can help improve the flavor of the pizza.