Frozen Pocketless Pizza Recipes

PIZZA POCKETS

Steps:

• For the dough: Sprinkle the yeast over 3 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
• In a mixer, combine the flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with a paddle attachment), drizzle in the olive oil until combined with the flour. Next, pour in the yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined and the dough comes together. (The dough will be sticky.) Form the dough into a ball.
• Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil and toss the dough in the olive oil to coat. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 hour to rise. Then put it in the fridge to chill for 2 hours or longer. (The dough is much easier to work with when very cold.)
• For the mushroom version: Add the olive oil to a pan with the heat on medium and saute the garlic and onions for about a minute. Add the mushrooms and thyme and saute for 3 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce for a couple of minutes until most of the liquid is gone. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool to room temperature.
• For the meat version: Crumble the Italian sausage into a skillet with some olive oil and brown until cooked through, 5 minutes. Let cool.
• When you are ready to make the pizza pockets, take half the dough and roll it out into a large rectangle. Cut into 18 rectangles with a rectangular cutter. Put 9 of the rectangles onto a baking sheet and top them with the fillings for the meat version: some marinara sauce, mozzarella, sausage, pepperoni and Canadian bacon. Lay the other 9 rectangles on top and crimp the edges with a fork. Brush with the beaten egg. Put into the freezer to flash-freeze for 30 minutes.
• Repeat with the other half of the dough and the fillings for the mushroom version: some mozzarella, goat cheese and the sauteed mushrooms.
• When the pockets have been flash-frozen, transfer to ziptop bags and store in the freezer.
• When ready to cook, place on a baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes.

FROZEN POCKETLESS PIZZA

Steps:

• On paper plate, place layer of paper towels.
• Place single layer of pepperoni, repeat with paper towel, until all pepperoni are on paper towels, ending with paper towel on top.
• Microwave on Defrost setting just until pepperoni is warm and has released it's fat.
• Do not overcook.
• Press top paper towel to remove as much fat as possible.
• Pick up paper towels and gently shake over a clean paper towel to release pepperoni into a pile.
• Set aside.
• Place poctketless pita on several large cookie sheets so that they do not overlap.
• Using equal ingredients on each pita, place in this order: Spread sauce over pita.
• Sprinkle seasonings over sauce.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Top with 4 slices of pepperoni.
• (Optional: Sprinkle any or all optional veggie ingredients over pepperoni.) Place cookie sheets in the freezer and freeze about 2 hours or until pizza is completely frozen.
• To store: I use pocketless pita bag sitting upright and stack pizzas, separating them with square of waxed paper.
• Keep frozen until ready to cook.
• Bake in preheated toaster oven about 14-15 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.
• Toaster ovens vary, so check it after about 12-13 minutes.
• Let them cool for 2-3 minutes and cut into eight mini-slices.