Grandma’s Pizza

Good Stuff

Pizza Dough

4 cups of flour (1lb) – high gluten bread or baking flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tbsp active yeast (1/4 oz, same as one package)
2 cups warm water (110 – 115 degrees) — a little more or less, but a wet dough

Toppings:

Anchovies
Caciovalo cheese, grated – or parmesan, provolone and pecorino cheese
Dried oregano

Instructions

  1. Add the yeast to a small bowl with a cup of the warm water. Stir and wait for it to dissolve and begin to smell “yeastie.”
  2. Add the salt, pepper, and the yeast mixture to the flour, stirring gently until all incorporated.
  3. Gently kneed the dough, but don’t overwork it. Form a loose dough ball (dough should be fairly wet and sticky) and clean the sides of the bowl so it doesn’t form a dry crust during the rising.
  4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and cover with a towel. Set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour. It should double in size.
  5. Punch down the dough, pulling the dough off the sides of the bowl and working into a new loose ball. Again, not a lot of effort needed here – just reactivating the yeast. Replace plastic wrap and towel and let rise again for about 30 minutes.
  6. Line a large metal baking sheet with Crisco being sure to grease the edges.
  7. Place the dough into the baking sheet and press into the corners. If it’s too sticky, add a drizzle of olive oil to your hands or the dough to help smooth it out to the edges.
  8. Let the dough set and raise a bit in the tray until you’re ready to bake – at least 15 minutes.
  9. Spread a very thin layer of pizza sauce over the dough.
  10. Dot the pizza with pieces of anchovy (if using) and add sprinkle with grated cheese and oregano.
  11. Line the edges of the pan with a thin drizzle of olive oil and then lightly drizzle olive oil over the top of the pizza.
  12. Bake at 400 for approximately 20 – 35 minutes – checking at 20 minutes to see the bottom. Strive for a browning underside without drying out the top.

Note: cheese should be shaved caciocavallo cheese – but pecorino romano / parmesan or provolone will also work.

Grandmas pizza with sundried tomatoes and pepperoni
Modified version with sun dried tomatoes and pepperoni.

See Pizza Sauce recipe

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