Making Pizza

We learned to make pizza from scratch when we lived in bush Alaska. There are times when you have a hankering for something that is not easy to get when you live way out in a remote area, and if you really want something, you have to make it yourself. So we did.

The pizza dough recipe came from a friend of ours that got it off of a flour sack. I still wrote it down as 'Bob's Pizza Dough' because that is where I learned to make it. I start off with the dough so it can bake for a few minutes before I add the toppings.

 2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2+ tbsp. olive oil
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. yeast
Add flour, salt, oil & 1/2 c. water to bowl. With the remaining 1/2 c. water, add sugar & yeast, let sit.

We buy everything we can in bulk to save money. Most things we buy from a warehouse market.

The spices I buy in bulk and refill my smaller spice containers. 

We grind peppercorns in this small coffee grinder.

I really hope to can my own tomato sauce this summer. We will see how that goes.

While the yeast is softening and starting to bubble I carefully measure the spices and add them to the tomato sauce. I add this much seasoning salt....

 this much pepper......

this much oregano......

this much parsley...... 
(Frank said, "Isn't that a lot?")

this much basil.......

and this much dried minced garlic.

All precisely measured by hand. I couldn't tell you how much of anything there is....I have never had a recipe. This was another instance of making it up as you go along. I tend to do that with many things. So add whatever tastes good to you and your family. In my opinion,

the sauce makes the pizza - not enough spices and the pizza will be bland, but too much and it will be overwhelming. 

Stir up the sauce and spices and let it sit while you get everything else going.

This is ground chevron or goat meat. We butchered some of our wethers last fall.






 

Brown the meat, add salt and pepper to taste. Of course, you can use any meat - sausage is good too.


 




Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Now that the sauce and meat are going, add the yeast to the flour and stir it up. 

Turn out the dough onto the counter that is sprinkled with flour and knead until smooth. The dough should be a little sticky but not so much that it will stick to your finger when you poke it.

Note the date on the shortening can? It is July 2010, three years old and in excellent condition. Coat the pan you are going to use with shortening. I use a large cookie sheet. This batch will probably make two pizzas if you are using a traditional pizza pan.  

I tried rolling out the dough and transferring it to the pan once. It didn't work very well, so I just put it on the pan and work it around by hand.



Now I bake the crust for about six to eight minutes before I add the toppings. 

The meat should be about ready by now, so it is time to shred the cheese and chop the vegetables.

This is the mozzarella we made a few days ago, along with an onion from a neighbors garden, a few of our anaheim peppers and a few black olives.

Okay, the crust is ready.








 
Add the 

sauce......

Add the meat and veges........

Did I say we like onions and peppers? Mmmm........

Add the cheese........ 

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees.

I have learned to lift up the pizza with a spatula and look at the bottom of the crust to make sure it is done.

This was one of the best pizzas I have made! No, really. The crust was just right, not too many spices in the sauce, fresh vegetables and fresh mozzarella cheese. It doesn't always turn out this way. And we have leftovers to eat for the next few days while we work in the garden. Life is good.

Until next time - Fern