Pizza!

       My family and I LOVE PIZZA! But we hate the price of take-out and the lack of options when it comes to toppings, so we make our own. I know this may seem like a daunting task, but with a little forethought, you'd be surprised at how easy it can be. And if you buy the crust and marinara pre-made, well, then it takes only minutes to throw together a gourmet masterpiece. I, being an extremely frugal (tightwad) person, prefer the from scratch route, the end result usually being far superior and costing pennies to the dollar of store bought products. Either way, you have options.
      The best part of making scratch pizza is how much healthier you can make it. You have control over sugar, fat, and whole grain content. These things can really make a difference in calorie content. You also have control over the quality of ingredients. This means no preservatives, the option of organic flours and grains, gourmet cheeses, and organic produce. You wouldn't believe the difference in taste when you use fresh, high quality products to make your food. Amazing!
       Yesterday, I was craving pizza with asparagus and feta. And since the husband and I are trying to drop a few pounds, I got to work on transforming my normal pizza dough recipe into something a little more healthful. I definetly prefer my original recipe, but this one will do as far as whole grain goes. I will go ahead and post both recipes for those that don't give a rat's rear end about refined flour. And for those looking for a sugar free marinara, I'll post that recipe as well. Enjoy!


The 'Sippi Hippie

Pizza Dough

1 cup very warm water

1 pack pizza dough or instant yeast

2 1/4 all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

1 cup very warm water

1 pack pizza dough or instant yeast

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup white wheat flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon honey

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

Combine yeast and salt in mixer bowl. Add honey, then cup of warm water. Mix to combine. Add oil and 1 cup of either flour. Wait for flour to be fully incorporated before adding next cup. Then add 1/4 cup at a time. Mix until mixture forms supple dough. If dough seems dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until right texture. Remove dough from mixer and pat into ball. Place into a lightly oiled bowl. Lightly spray top of dough ball with oil. Cover with damp towel and place in warm, draft free place. I often place in my oven to rise, Just make sure it's off first. If using pizza yeast, you can let it rise as little as an hour. If using instant yeast, you must let it rise atleast two hours. When yeast has risen, punch down and transfer to a surface dusted with flour and cornmeal. If making 2 medium pizzas, split dough in half. If not, dough will make one large pizza. Lightly fold dough over and into itself a few times, then gently form another ball. Pressing your palm down into the middle of the ball, use your other palm to gently stretch the dough away from the center. Turn the ball of dough as you do this and a circular disc will begin to form. When you have worked dough to a 3/4 inch thick disc, you can genly lift and place your balled fist under the disc to further stretch the dough. This is to be done with care so as to not tear or rip it. It may take a little practice to perfect your dough stretching. If you are completely unconfortable with this technique, you can always use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough out to desired thickness.When you have formed your crust, gently lay onto pizza stone or pan. Add desired sauce and toppings and bake @450 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.

Super Easy Marinara Sauce

3 regular sized cans (around 14.5 oz) of Italian Style Diced Tomatoes

1 6 oz can of tomato paste

1 medium onion diced

4 large garlic cloves finely chopped

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

Add canned tomatoes and paste to food processor and pulse until smooth and even consistency. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in thick bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add chopped garlic. Use wooden spoon to stir until garlic reaches a golden brown. Take extra care not to burn garlic. Your sauce will not be sweet, but will turn bitter. If garlic burns. Let pot cool, rinse, dry, and start over. This is a crucial step to good marinara. When garlic has reached golden color, quickly add the diced onions. cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Add salt and stir once more, then add tomatoes from food processor. Stir and partially cover. Bring just to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer until mixture has reduced itself to desired thickness. This is wonderful as a pizza marinara, but even better over pasta.