Homemade Pizza with Cheese - Recipes
Channel: Ivan Oblak
Date: 2023-01-27

One of the most well-liked foods in the world, among people of all ages, is pizza. There are countless topping and crust combinations to suit every palate. Others prefer thicker pizzas, while some people (like myself) prefer thin crust. One of my favorite go-to classic pizza recipes is this one. I adore cheese, and if you do too, you can top your pizza with as much cheese as you like—even more than is called for in the recipe. The appropriate baking of the crust is, in my opinion, one of the most crucial factors that must be taken into account when preparing pizza. Nobody enjoys pizza with wet, poorly baked dough.

To produce the right baked crust and not overcooked topping, it is essential to place your preferred pizza dough in a well-preheated 500 degree F oven. For my pizza, I do use a baking stone, which I keep in the oven at all times. Contrary to using a regular baking pan, I do believe that baking pizza put directly onto a hot baking stone produces the greatest crust. For a quick meal on a busy weekday, I also like to make double or treble batches of this recipe and freeze them. This homemade pizza dish is delicious and very simple to make.

Freezing:

If you do decide to freeze pizza, simply wrap the prepared, unbaked pie in plastic wrap and aluminum foil (I do this to prevent distortion). It will keep in the freezer for roughly a month. Do not thaw your pizza before baking. Simply brush some olive oil on the edges before transferring to an oven that has been preheated to 500 degrees F. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping the pan once, or until the cheese is bubbling and well-browned. Before serving, allow it cool for 5 minutes on a cooling rack.

Ingredients:
Dough:
3/4 cup (177g) half-and-half 110 degrees (43 C)
1/4 cup (60g) warm water 110 degrees (43 C)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups (473g) all purpose four
1/8 cup (30g) cornstarch
1 1/8 tsp (5.5g) dry yeast
3/4 tsp (1g) salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sugar

Sauce and Topping:
7 oz (200g) canned diced tomatoes, drained, reserve 1/4 cup (60ml) juice liquid
1/2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp for basting pizza crust before baking
1/2 tbsp tomato paste
1 minced garlic clove 
1/2 tsp dried oregano (or 1/2 tbsp minced fresh)
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup (236 g) grated fresh Mozzarella
1/4 cup (60g) grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup (30ml) half-and-half

Preparation:
Dough:
Depending on your oven, preheat the oven with the baking stone inside to 500 degrees F (260 C) for 40 to 1 hour.
Combine water, oil, and half-and-half.
Combine the following ingredients in a mixer fitted with a dough hook at a medium speed: sugar, yeast, salt, baking powder, cornstarch, and flour.
Mix for about five minutes after adding the half-and-half mixture to the dry ingredients. The dough will cling to the sides of the mixing bowl and be damp.
When the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a bowl that has been sprayed with oil, cover it with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let it rise at room temperature for about an hour.
Blend the drained tomatoes with the conserved liquid in a blender until they are roughly crushed.

Add tomato paste after boiling the oil for a while. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until it begins to turn brown. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes for 30 seconds. Add the pulverized tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, or until reduced to about 3/4 cup.
After cooling, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Half-and-half and Parmesan and Mozzarella should be thoroughly mixed.
Press the dough into a circle that is about 12 inches in diameter using well-oiled hands.
Place 1/2 cup of sauce on the dough, leaving a border all the way around.
add a cheese mixture on top
Apply olive oil to the edges.
Pizza should be baked for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the dough is nicely browned, after being slid onto the baking stone or pan.

Before serving, allow it cool for five minutes on a cooling rack.
Enjoy!

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