Can Real Men Make Pizza?

Okay, I stole this, but it works - really well - and its a "guy recipe" meaning from a guy, to other guys, but it works equally well for ladies too. So, if you are one of those people who, maybe just once, would like to get away from the boxes and cans and obtaint the smug satisfaction of just doing it "from scratch" - - well then, here it is.

An added incentive is that later, at cocktail parties, your significant other casually mentions that you did it and three quarters of the guys in the room are your instant friends wanting to know how it works. Most guys are closet cooks - - I'm just sayin' . . . .

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water (No, hot doesn't work better, it can kill the yeast - so use "warm")
2 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons honey (Never would have thought of it, but believe me, you won't regret adding this little ingredient)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Dump it all the the bread maker and punch the "dough" setting and walk away. If you don't have a bread maker, go to Whatever . . . .. Mart and buy one, you will never be sorry. It does pie crust, breads and a bunch of other stuff too.

You can work on your sauce recipe while the dough is working: (An important note here- If you like brown liquor, here is a good time to pour three fingers over ice - sipped slowly, it will last through the rest of the project)

1 clove garlic, mashed and minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
dash red pepper, optional (I don't use it, some people do - its your decision)

If you heat it to blend the flavors, keep it on low heat, stirring often for about 30 minutes (then cool it before applying to your crust). Otherwise, mix it all up cold and let it sit in the fridge till the dough is done and on the pizza stone or cooking platform.

Back to the dough:

One mistake most people make when working with dough is not using enough muscle. Dough fights back. You push it, it pushes back. Don't be afraid of the dough. It won't bite you and you can't really damage it, either. When working with dough, use plenty of flour, but don't let it get too dry. It should be fun to work with, not too sticky and not too crumbly.

Form it into a flat ball about six to eight inches wide.

Using both hands, one on top of the other, press from the center outwards on it to start stretching it out, turning the dough a bit on each push. You can also pick up the dough and squeeze the edges of it while turning it like a steering wheel. This allows the weight of the dough to stretch it. (This works really well and if you get a tear in it, then thrwo it down and work the tear closed and go on) You are making "gluten strands" which keeps the dough from being fla,ky or crumbly and gives you a chewier finished crust.

Once the dough is about 1/2" thick all the way around, use a rolling pin to flatten it out to about 1/4" thick. I usually run the pin over once or twice, flip the dough over and give it a quarter turn and roll it again to make it even.

Take a fork and put puncture holes all over the dough. This keeps it from bubbling up while cooking and it also helps to hold the sauce on as well.

Transfer dough to either baking stones or on the cookie sheet or a pizza pan.
Sprinkle light cover of corn meal under the dough to act as ball bearings for later pizza removal or place it on a lightly greased cookie sheet (I like the corn meal approach better).
Top with sauce, cheese and/or toppings and bake in a 400° F. oven until the crust is light brown

(it cooks quicker if the temp is higher, but I think it over browns the exposed crust too quickly..)

Hope you enjoy this, Boo and Wolanda, Frazier and Ginger all did.