Basic Homemade Pizza

Homemade pizza is the best pizza in the world. The doe, toppings and sauce combine into the perfect lunch or dinner. This recipe features an herb doe and sauce. Toppings balance the over-all flavor.

Doe Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Yeast
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Basil
3 1/2 Cup Flour

Pour water and yeast into a large bowl. Let it stand for one hour. Then add salt, olive oil, basil (or optional spice thyme or paprika), and two cups of flour. Mix with a fork or hand mixer until smooth. Add one more cup of flour and mix with hands until a loose ball is formed. Add another half cup of flour to mead the doe in the bowl. Mead doe by lifting up the sides and press it together towards the center. After a smooth ball is formed pinch ends together and leave the smooth side facing upward. Cover the bowl with foil or plastic wrap. Let it stand in the refrigerator for one day.

Sauce Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Water
2 Cups Tomato Sauce
1 Teaspoon Parsley
1 Teaspoon Basil
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
Dash Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

The next day, before taking the doe out of the fridge, pour sauce ingredients into a medium size pot. Heat on medium and stir until it comes to a boil. Similar to spaghetti sauce it may substitute a marinara sauce. Enhance sauce by sauteing onions, green peppers or eggplant in a table spoon of butter or olive oil, over medium-low heat before adding the other ingredients.

Toppings:
1 Pound Hamburger
Sprinkle Salt
Sprinkle Pepper
2 Cups Diced Munster
1 Teaspoon Parsley
1 Medium Tomato

After the sauce is ready, set it to the side and cook the hamburger. Heat a large pan with a tall edge over medium-low heat. While the pan heats ball, inch thick pieces of hamburger and set them in the pan. Season the meat with salt and pepper while occasionally flipping the balls with a spatula. Cook until brown. Lift balls out of the pan and set them on a paper towel. Drain grease into a container that can be thrown away.

Set hamburger to the side and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place aluminum or cookie paper over an eighteen by twelve cookie sheet. Spray with oil to avoid sticking.

Now prepare doe by setting it in a handful of flour on a clean counter or table. Softly press it down to create the shape. The doe is soft. Carefully move it from one hand to the other stretching it slowly until it is in a large oval shape. Place it into the pan using the tips of the fingers to flatten and fit the doe into the edges. It should be an equal thickness, yet it is better to have thick edges over a thick center.

Poke the pizza doe briskly with a fork to pop potential air bubbles. Pour the sauce over the pizza doe then use the bottom of a ladle or tablespoon to spread it to about a half inch or inch from edges. Take the hamburger balls apart with your hand. Keep them at a good size while placing them evenly on the sauce. Dice Munster cheese into small, quarter inch, squares or use the largest setting on a cheese grater to save time. Sprinkle the cheese around the edges of the sauce first. Then lightly sprinkle all over the pizza by holding it with the tips of the fingers.

Place pizza in the oven for 20 minutes, rotate the pizza and then cook another 15 minutes. This is long enough to cook the doe; however, look at the pizza crust to make sure it is a golden color. If it still looks under cooked, or for a crispy crust bake it another 5 to 10 minutes.

While it cooks, slice and dice tomato into medium-small pieces. When the pizza is done, remove it from the oven; place it on the stove or cooling rack to add the fresh tomato and parsley. Let it cool for a couple minutes, before moving it to the table or counter. Lift it out of the pan with the corners of cookie paper or aluminum foil. It is easiest to hold the pan at an angle with a pot holder and pull the pizza out onto the table. Once rested, slice it with a large knife or pizza cutter.

Modify the recipe to your needs by dividing the doe into two or more balls so it covers smaller pans. Save time by using store bought spaghetti sauce. Enhance the flavor by using corn, oat or while grain flour. Balance flavors by adjusting the recipe. Pepperoni is spicy so do not add an additional spice to the doe. Spice up doe with paprika or two different spices when preferring vegetable. Switch basil with a half teaspoon thyme and half teaspoon garlic. Use mozzarella for a mellow flavor. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top to add extra flavor.

Pizza is one of the United States favorite foods. Making it at home means a person can customize it to preferences. This is the basic pizza, but the possibilities are endless. It is fun on the weekend when wanting to break away from the regular routine.

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