Once a week or so, we have family pizza night. On this momentous day, we make our dough, dress our pizza, choose a movie, and all eat on the couch instead of at our usual table. I try to make extra so there are leftovers for the kids to bring for school lunches. Everyone loves pizza night!
Ingredients
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 tsp + 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup hottest water from the tap
4 tbsp olive oil or butter, melted
1/2 cup milk or water
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 1/2 cups flour
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped mixed greens (kale, chard, spinach)
1 cup crushed tomatoes, blended
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 pack pepperoni
1/2 cup pineapple, diced
1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated
Directions
In a large bowl, stir the yeast, 1 tsp sugar, and hot water together. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the yeast blooms into a thick foam. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt, then pour this mixture into the foamy yeast. Next mix in the egg, and the flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Knead it in the bowl for about 6 minutes until the dough comes together into a smooth, elastic ball. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and put it in a warm place for 1 hour to rise.
While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce. In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir frequently and cook for 3-5 minutes until garlic starts to turn golden brown. Add the chopped greens and cook until they start to wilt, then add the tomatoes. Cook for 1 minute more, then turn the heat off. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed.
Once the dough is ready, stretch it out by hand onto a large, round, parchment-lined baking tray. Spread out the sauce, then the cheese, then the pepperoni, then the pineapple, and sprinkle the pecorino cheese all around the crust. Other toppings are fine too (feel free to get creative!), just make sure to cook them first so they don’t make the pizza too watery.
Cook at 475F for 10 minutes, slice with kitchen shears, and enjoy fresh from the oven!
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