Favorite Pizzas

On Sunday nights, while living in Africa, the kitchen was bustling with guests and my dad making pizza. Our home soon became the place to be on a Sunday night. We cut the pizza into square pieces and ate them most properly with a knife and fork. Round pans were not available so we baked our pizzas on baking sheets. After the dough has risen once, it will keep for days in the refrigerator or may be frozen in individual portions and baked when desired. Breadsticks can be made by brushing dough with olive oil, then sprinkling with mozzarella cheese and Penzeys pizza seasoning.

Dough

    6 cups all-purpose flour
    2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    2 ½ teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
    2 teaspoons salt
    1 ½ cups water, warmed to 110
    ¾ cup fat-free milk
    3 tablespoons olive oil

Pizza Sauce

    1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
    1 (6-ounce) can Italian tomato paste
    1 teaspoon sugar
    ½ teaspoon Italian herb mix
    ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground Tellicherry peppercorns

Toppings

    6 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
    1 cup shredded medium cheddar cheese
    Fleur de Sel
    Olive oil in a Misto sprayer
    Options

1.  In an extra large bowl, stir the flour, sugar, yeast and salt.
 
2.  In a medium bowl, whisk the water, milk and oil. Stir into
     flour. Turn onto a floured breadboard, knead 5 minutes. Place
     1 teaspoon olive oil in a bowl, return dough and turn once.

3.  Cover with a damp cloth and let dough rise 1 hour or until
     double. Punch down with fist and shape into a ball. Cut into
     6 pieces, turn dough "inside out" to form large rolls.

4.  Place the baking stone in the oven, preheat to 500 . Set out
     two baking sheets, sprinkle liberally with fine cornmeal. Roll  
     each roll to 8 or 10 inches in diameter for thin or thick crust.

5.  In a medium bowl, mix tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar,         
     Italian herb mix and pepper. Top round of dough with pizza  
     sauce, cheese and other choices, then cheddar cheese.
     Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spray with oil.

6.  Use a pizza peel to lift pizza off baking sheet and slide onto   
     preheated baking stone. Bake 10 minutes, remove and slice.
 
     Favorite: Sliced red and green bell peppers, sliced
     mushrooms, chopped red onion, Penzeys pizza seasoning,
     olive oil, Fleur de Sel and freshly ground pepper.

     Hawaiian: Pineapple pieces, diced green bell peppers,     
     chopped yellow onions and Canadian bacon.
    
     Sausage: Sausage, black olives, diced green bell peppers,     
     sliced mushrooms, and chopped onions.

     Makes 6 pizzas