Homemade Pizza (A nice, family-friendly treat for Father's Day)

Pizza

By Jim Brodnicki

Dough

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 cups flour (can use whole wheat flour if you would like a healthier crust)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons white sugar
Sauce
2 4-ounce cans tomato paste
 ½ cup water
6 whole fresh tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 fresh bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced
1 yellow (sweet Vidalia) onion, minced
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Your favorite toppings

 

Let the dough rise for about 45 minutes, until just about doubled in size. Use an oven temperature of 350 and usually the crust will be getting a golden brown in about 20 minutes. Using a regular pizza pie pan, lightly floured, is the best, and you don’t want to spread the crust too thin, rather spread it evenly.

Put all sauce ingredients in a medium pan; let simmer on low for about 30 minutes. You will need to mix it so the sugars (especially the brown) do not start to caramelize at the bottom of the pan. Sugar can be adjusted to taste. I find this is a good balance between garlic and sugar. Remove bay leaf after 20 minutes and then let simmer the remaining 10 minutes.

I like to top the pizza with and Italian mixture of shredded Parmesan, Mozzarella, and Provolone. I also will use an 8 ounce container of Ricotta cheese. Other toppings of my choice would be mild to spicy sausage, fresh sliced mushrooms, onions (even though it is in the sauce), fresh broccoli or spinach, and pepperoni. Of course, your favorite toppings will work well.

Note from Jim Brodnicki: “ I added the option for the whole wheat flour given today's health awareness that we have. I remember one time my mom, Lillian, bought a package of dough mix from the store and it was really bad. That was when she just started doing it this way. The dough is what my mom use to use. The sauce recipe is my own.”
 

From Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles From "Bryony"

All proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties. www.bbbswillgrundy.org

Order the cookbook at www.bryonyseries.com/Dalton_s_Dry_Goods.html