Just-Like-Delivery Homemade Pizza

Molly's Homemade Pizza:

Sure, there are a million and one "pizza accessories" you can splurge on: pizza stones, special rolling slicers, even specialty pizza ovens. This recipe, devised from about ten years of sad (yet slowly improving) homemade pizza, uses none of these fancy accessories. Not only is making delivery-quality pizza at home possible, but you likely already have everything you need. 

 

For the Dough:

4 cups bread flour, divided (all purpose is also a strong option, but I love that defined chew that the extra gluten in bread flour delivers)

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 package active dry yeast

2 tbsp olive oil (avocado oil, sunflower oil also work) plus more for brushing

1 1/2 cups warm water (110° to 120°, if you turn up the heat on your tap water and wait for it to feel hot, you're golden)

Small handful of cornmeal

For the toppings:

Your choice of tomato sauce

Italian blend shredded cheese (not just mozzarella! If you want to make your own, mix parmesan, mozzarella, and provalone) 

(Optional: other toppings)

Instructions:

1. In a stand mixer, blend 3 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast using the bread hook attachment

2. With the mixer running, incorporate the olive  oil and water. 

3. Adding a tablespoon at a time, incorporate more flour until the dough comes together into a ball. (It's okay if it's slightly sticky)

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and, with your hands, work the dough, folding it over itself, and pushing it away with the heel of your hands until it develops a slightly stretchy consistency. Add more flour as needed)

5. Brush a large mixing bowl with oil, and place the dough inside. Cover with a clean towel, and place into a warm spot to rise for at least an hour. An ideal spot is your cold oven, with the light on. 

6. When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, and turn it out to knead slightly again. PREHEAT oven to 425° only after you have removed your dough.

7. Split the dough in half (this recipe produces enough for two large pizzas, if you aren't making two, this dough freezes and thaws beautifully! Yay, another pizza night!).

8. Sprinkle enough corn meal on your pizza pan, making sure it's thoroughly coated.

9. Roll out the pizza dough into a large, round disc. Transfer it to the pizza pan carefully, manipulating the dough with your fingers as necessary to fit the shape of your pan. Poke with a fork all over. 

10. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and add other toppings as desired. Do not go too thick on the cheese, you should still see some tomato sauce poking through. I'm a cheese lover, but trust me, you can easily go overboard on pizza cheese if you're not conscientious about how much you're really putting on there.

11. Fold the edges of the pizza over, forming a crust. Brush the crust with olive oil.

12. Place pizza on the bottom rack of the 425° oven for approximately 7 minutes. 

13. Remove and brush crust with more oil. Place on the top rack until the cheese bubbles, the crust browns, and you get those golden brown little spots of goodness to form on the cheese.

14. Slice and enjoy!