Pizza is a family favorite. My son especially LOVES pizza. We visit the pizza place quite often and the moment we walk in they have the slices in the oven. He LOVES my Margaretta Pizza too. I updated my recipe and added the homemade pizza crust version. You will need time to let the dough rise. Making dough/bread is a long process, but it’s well worth all the effort. Enlist the help of the kids. Growing up we had pizza making nights. We would get the dough from the pizza place and make the pizza ourselves. I still remember pressing out the dough into the rectangular pan.

Homemade Pizza Crust

If you are making one large Margaretta Pizza (or two small) this recipe works well. Start by putting 2 cups of all-purpose flour in a bowl, then add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of sugar. I then drizzle in a little olive oil. Fill a measuring cup with warm water and dissolve 1 packet of rapid rise yeast and mix it well. Then add that to the flour mixture and mix well. The dough will immediately form together. If not, and it’s too wet add more flour, or if too dry add a few drops of water a few at a time. Form the dough into a ball and drizzle olive oil over it to coat it, then cover it with a clean dish towel and put in a warm place to rise. Check it every 30 minutes and knead it to get out the air, then cover it again letting it rise three times, so you will need to give yourself at least 1 ½ hours to make the dough, keep it covered until you are ready to use it.

Directions for homemade pizza:

Preheat the over to 450 degrees. While the oven is heating up, take the ball of dough and roll it out onto a clean counter or pastry board. Put some flour down first so the dough does not stick. Then roll out the dough in every direction so it forms a circle. I have not learned how to hand toss the pizza yet! Then, prepare your pizza tin by covering it with olive oil, this is important you don’t want the pizza to stick. Then, put down the dough onto the pizza tin and add the tomato sauce, the dollops of tomato paste, the diced mozzarella cheese, parmesan, oregano or Italian seasonings blend for a more complex taste and salt. Put it in the oven on the middle rack for about 10 minutes, and then turn it. This is a good time to add the fresh basil, otherwise the basil may burn. When the crust is brown and cheese is bubbling it is done.