Classic Pizza Recipes

BEST PIZZA SAUCE RECIPE (NO COOK, AUTHENTIC ITALIAN STYLE)

Steps:

• Pour the can of tomatoes into a bowl. If it is pomodorini or whole tomatoes, crush them with your hands, or you can roughly cut them with kitchen shears.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Taste for salt and add if needed. (Don't add a lot of sauce to the pizza dough; you don't want to drown it.)

CLASSIC MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with rack in lower third lined with a pizza stone or baking sheet. Turn dough out onto a pizza peel or thin wooden cutting board dusted with semolina (do not punch down). Starting in center and using both hands, press down and outward with your fingertips, rotating dough occasionally. Gradually work toward edges, leaving a 1-inch border of undisturbed dough, until it's stretched to an approximately 13-inch round.
• Lightly drizzle dough with oil; season with salt and pepper. Gently spread sauce evenly to just inside border, top evenly with mozzarella, and sprinkle with Parmigiano. With one quick forward-and-back jerking motion, slide pizza from peel onto stone. (This is not the moment to hesitate! Be brave and bold, and the pizza will slide off the peel.)
• Bake until crust is puffed, golden brown in places, and set on bottom, and cheese is bubbly, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pizza to a wire rack; let cool 2 to 3 minutes. Top with basil and pepper flakes, slice, and serve immediately.

CLASSIC PIZZA

Steps:

• Crumble sausage into a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. On a lightly floured surface, knead the two rolls together. Roll dough into a 7-1/2-in. circle. , Transfer to a greased pizza pan or baking sheet. Spread pizza sauce over dough; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese, sausage, mushrooms, onion and remaining cheese. Top with Italian seasoning. , Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

CLASSIC PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine water and yeast in a bowl; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add flour, salt, sugar, and oil; stir until a ragged dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface; knead with floured hands until smooth, elastic, and tacky but no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl brushed with oil, turning dough to evenly coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 3 hours; or refrigerate until doubled in volume, at least 12 hours and up to 3 days (return to room temperature before using, 1 to 2 hours).

CLASSIC ITALIAN PIZZA

Steps:

• To make the dough, mix the yeast with the warm water, sugar and oil and leave for 1-2 minutes. Add the flours into a mixing bowl with 1/2 tsp salt and briefly mix before making a well ready for the liquids. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir into the flour using a fork, until the mixture comes together and can be finished off by hand. Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes on a floured surface, then place in a clean, lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has risen to double its size.
• Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce by blending all of the ingredients together.
• Preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan, gas mark 9). Place the dough back onto a floured surface and knead for another minute to knock the air out. Any dough not used immediately can be refrigerated for up to 2 days - allowing to stand for 2 hours before making the pizzas.
• Roll out the dough and place on a large baking tray. Spread the tomato base over the pizza before topping with the blue cheese and mozzarella, then the mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.
• Cook in the hot oven for around 15 minutes or until the dough is crisp around the edges. Top with the parmesan and a good grating of pepper and serve.

CLASSIC PEPPERONI PIZZA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the oil, sugar, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 10 minutes., Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll out each portion into a 10-in. circle. Transfer to two greased 12-in. pizza pans; build up edges slightly. Bake at 425° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the tomato sauce, onion, garlic, salt and pepper; spread over crust. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and oregano. Arrange pepperoni over top; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

CLASSIC PIZZA CRUST

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast, 1 cup of flour, and the salt. Mix.
• Next, add the water and oil.
• Beat on low speed for 30 seconds.
• Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue to beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
• By hand, stir in enough flour to make the dough stiff.
• Knead until smooth which can take up to 10 minutes.
• Place in a well greased bowl and turn the dough until it is lightly greased.
• Cover and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch it down and chill for 2 hours.
• Cut the dough in half.
• On a floured surface, roll the halves into 12 inch circle and about 1/8 inch thick.
• Brush the surfaces of the dough with olive oil and add the toppings of your choice. Cook at 425* for 25 minutes.

CLASSIC PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Unroll dough; place in pan. Starting at center, press out dough in bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pan to form crust.
• Bake 7 minutes. Meanwhile, in 8-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until no longer pink. Remove sausage from skillet; drain on paper towels.
• In same skillet, mix tomatoes, oregano, red pepper and garlic; cook over medium-high heat until bubbly. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors.
• Spread tomato mixture over partially baked crust. Sprinkle sausage evenly over tomato mixture. Top with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
• Return to oven; bake 10 to 12 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. Cut into squares.

CLASSIC PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the dough: Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the warm water. Sprinkle the sugar and yeast over the water and let stand until bubbling, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the olive oil into the well, then stir with a wooden spoon to make a shaggy dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 1 minute. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, tightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• One hour before baking, put a pizza stone or large inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and preheat to 500 degrees F. Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree and 2 cups water. Stir in the oregano and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. (The sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.)
• Divide the pizza dough into 2 balls. On a lightly floured surface, stretch 1 ball of dough into a 12- to 14-inch round. Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper, then slide the parchment with the dough onto a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet.
• Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce on the crust in a thin layer, then scatter 1 cup mozzarella on top. Slide the pizza (on the parchment) onto the hot stone. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 1 to 2 minutes before slicing. Repeat to make the second pizza.