Pizza Crust

This recipe uses a bread machine -- a tool I heartily believe in! It's no substitute for the therapy of kneading dough when you're frustrated, but when I've got a lot going on in the kitchen it's nice to know the bread's making it okay without me.


Ingredients to make two 12 inch pizzas:

• 1 1/4 Cup Water
• 2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Cups White Flour
• 2 Cups Wheat Flour
• 1 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Granulated Sugar
• 1 Tsp Rapid-Rise Active Dry Yeast

In the Bread Machine:

• Pour water into bread pan.
• Add oil.
• Sprinkle the flour over the wet ingrdients.
• Put salt and granulated sugar into separate corners.
• Make an indention in the middle of the flour and add the yeast.
• Set bread machine to basic dough setting.
• Observe dough for first 5-10 minutes of kneading to make sure that a firm ball is forming. If it is too dry, add water a TB at a time. If it is too wet, add flour a TB at a time.
• When dough is done, roll into two pizza crusts, spread a small amount of tomato sauce or tomato paste on top, and add toppings of your choice.

In the Oven: Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

My Favorite Toppings Include:
Herbs (rosemary, oregano, sage, parsley, etc.)
Prosciutto or Pancetta
Mushrooms
Black Olives
Onions
Mozarella Cheese
Ricotta Cheese from scratch





Ideas:

Use your pizza dough to make an Italian flatbread--Focaccia.

• After rolling out the bread, cover for 15 minutes and allow to rise.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Dimple the bread with your fingers, cover again and allow it to rise for 20 more minutes.
• Spritz with olive oil, sprinkle on salt and herbs (I like rosemary).
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and hollow sounding when tapped.