Here's how I made QUICK PIZZA CRUST At Home My Way:
RECIPES AT THE TOP -CHIT CHAT AT THE BOTTOM.
But other times I don't have a plan and I still need to put dinner on the table.
Last night I tried a terrific, quick, instant pizza dough recipe. It turned out FANTASTIC! I will definitely be using this dough all the time! It is as easy as one of those little crust packets you get at Walmart! Just a little measuring, stirring, and folding. It rolls out beautifully and homemade pizza can be on the table in the time it takes to warm up the oven.
Tips for making frugal, homemade pizza:
QUICK PIZZA CRUST
- 1/2 cup warm/hot water (like hot bath water)
- 1 packet (or 2 teaspoons) active yeast (only use one yeast packet even if doubling this recipe)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- 1 1/2 cup All Purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons oil (I used olive oil.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
NOTE: You can double this recipe if you want a thicker crust. If you double the recipe, you still only need to use the one packet of yeast. No need to double the yeast measurement above.
Measure very warm water in a measuring cup. Add yeast (and sugar, if using) to the water in the measuring cup. Stir gently. Let the yeast do its thing for about 5 minutes. It will get cloudy and/or form some a little foam if the yeast is working. Now add only 1 teaspoon of oil to the water/yeast mixture. Stir.
Measure flour into a medium bowl. Add the salt and stir to incorporate the salt into the flour. Pour the water/yeast mixture over the flour/salt mixture. Stir with a spoon (I use a wooden spoon) until it all comes together.
Moisten your hands with the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and fold/knead the dough a few times (like 10-15 times) until it forms a ball of dough. I fold mine in half and turn, fold in half and turn about 10 times. Let it rest in the bowl while your oven is preheating.
Preheat oven to 425Ā°.
To use for pizza, spray cookie sheet/pizza pan with cooking spray. You can sprinkle your pizza pan now with a little corn meal if you want and that gives you a crispier crust but that is optional.
You can roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface or flatten the dough and just press it directly in the pizza pan. You can even roll the dough directly in the pizza pan. Pizza dough is very forgiving.
Top with sauce, seasonings, cheese & then toppings last.
Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for the crispiest crust. I bake my pizzas for about 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
If you are brave, you can loosen first and then slide your fully baked pizza off the pan (carefully) directly back onto the bottom rack of your oven to really crispy up that crust a little bit. I only leave it about 5-10 minutes and then I place the pizza pan to the front of that rack and carefully using a spatula, scoot the pizza to return it back to the pan.
THE CHIT CHAT!
Most of the time I plan ahead for making homemade pizza. For crust, I typically use my no fail, Five Minute a Day dough, which is kept in the fridge for up to ten days.
But other times I don't have a plan and I still need to put dinner on the table.
Last night I tried a terrific, quick, instant pizza dough recipe. It turned out FANTASTIC! I will definitely be using this dough all the time! It is as easy as one of those little crust packets you get at Walmart! Just a little measuring, stirring, and folding. It rolls out beautifully and homemade pizza can be on the table in the time it takes to warm up the oven.
Tips for making frugal, homemade pizza:
- Use homemade crust. There are lots of recipes out there! I am included the best and fastest one I have found in this post.
- MAKE PIZZA BOATS! Use up your stale buns, hoagie buns, english muffins, thick slices of french bread, toasting first in the oven and then topping with sauce, cheese & toppings and heating in the oven again until all melty! These are fantastic!
- For pizza sauce, just use a small can (8 oz) of plain old tomato sauce. After spreading on your dough, sprinkle with a little salt/pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Tada=pizza sauce!
- For pizza sauce you can also use jarred spaghetti sauce, sliced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes (using garlic powder, oregano for seasonings), even tomato paste will work!
- I grate my own mozzarella which I get at Aldi! I keep blocks of it in the freezer for pizza any time! I have also just used a few slices of mozzarella to lay around on the pizza - even if I don't have much. My mom didn't always use mozzarella on pizza and just sprinkled with canned parmesan. As little kids, we loved it and didn't really miss the cheese.
- Load up with vegetables you have on hand. Cook some onions, use canned/drained mushrooms, chop up peppers, black olives, brown a little breakfast sausage and add to your pizza. My child even loves pineapple chunks and sandwich ham pieces on her pizza. Of course, we prefer pepperoni - from Aldi - and the package has lots in it and lasts forever!
- Think outside the box! Use leftover taco meat, drained pinto/black beans, salsa & cheddar for mexican pizza!
- Dessert pizza! Top with fruit, canned pie filling, cooked apples and sprinkle with some yellow cake mix/drizzle with butter & bake!
- Breakfast pizza! Top with leftover gravy, scrambled eggs, cooked sausage, bacon crumbles, vegetables like peppers, cooked onions, tomatoes, cheese!
- Make homemade hot pockets. Use circles of dough, topping half with everything from pizza makings, leftovers like meatloaf, sloppy joe meat, taco meat, ham & cheese, broccoli/cheese, or even fruit or eggs & cheese for breakfast hot pockets! Fold in half, seal like a turnover, and bake. These keep great in the freezer for lunches! Reheat in the microwave.
Hope you enjoy these great ideas for quick, frugal ways to put a meal on the table!
Gina
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