Sunday Cook: Pizza & Popcorn

Welcome to Sunday Cook - the one day out of the week that I can take things a bit slower and post a recipe. Lest you all think that all we eat around here are treats I thought today would be the day for me to share my PIZZA recipe. 

The actual recipe is LONG GONE ..... I've made this pizza crust so many times now it's automatic. Most of our pizza's end up as 'kitchen sink' pies - I use whatever I have on hand that will work together.  Mine will NEVER be as good as the BEST PIZZA in the WORLD that we found at Moonspin Pizza in Thomasville, Georgia - but maybe a close second.

Pizza making isn't all that difficult but I'm not sure how many people make there own. 

Do you?

I've been making our own for about 5 years, ever since we visited our farm friends in Saskatchewan. We enjoyed homemade pizza and made off with the crust recipe. 

Once I was making my own for a while I decided to try other crust recipes - not quite sure that ours was THE best. I made others but they were worse - so I went back. Then one day I used cornmeal .......

BINGO! Perfect pizza crust!

I realize that the point of ordering take out pizza or buying the frozen kind is a quick way to have a dinner without having to actually MAKE it. But if you are like us and LOVE pizza but don't want to pay the HUGE prices for them, and you don't mind putting in a bit of time and effort, then today's recipe is for you! 

+ I'm including a fun treat - Chocolate Popcorn.

So, here we go.

Perfect Pizza Crust

1/4 cup warm water

1 package or 2 1/4 tsp yeast (not quick rising)
pinch of sugar

1 cup hot or boiling water
1 tbsp. oil (I use olive - yum)
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. sea salt

3 cups flour (I just use all purpose but once in a while I add some whole wheat)
cornmeal

In a small bowl place 1/4 cup warm water, yeast and pinch of sugar. Let sit.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine hot water, sugar, oil and salt. Stir until dissolved. 

When the hot water has cooled (about 20 mins) add yeast to large bowl. Add flour. I add 2 cups straight off and then add the last 1 cup slowly. I also use part of the 1 cup of flour to dust the counter/table.

Kneed dough a dozen times or so, form into a ball and place in a large bowl with olive oil. Roll ball around to cover with oil. Cover with moist warm dish towel and place in warm place. I place mine on the stove top and turn on the oven to preheat -- 400F.

Meanwhile, prepare toppings. For today's pizza I'm using beef sausage that we have from our favourite meat market.

We have a special pizza baking sheet - we've had it for a long time. Not sure how much of difference it makes but we get a good crust so it must be a good thing. I think a stone would be even better!

I season the pan with oil and dust with cornmeal. 

You can see our fresh basil from our garden - yum!

Once the crust has sat for about 1/2 hr to 1 hr - punch down, place on flour on counter/table and form into a circle.

I take a pretty rustic approach to forming the crust on the baking sheet. I don't roll - I just push it out to roughly the right size. Lay in on the baking sheet and push it with my fingers to the edge. I sprinkle it lightly with cornmeal.

On go the tomato sauce (we don't use much) and toppings. This pizza had tomato sauce, beef sausage, ham, basil, garlic, and onion. Oh - plus the mozzarella cheese and I threw on some fresh grated parmesan cheese. 

Bake for about 20 mins @ 400F or until the crust is golden.

Of course the topping choices are ENDLESS!

And now for a special treat!

I LOVE chocolate and I LOVE popcorn - and I REALLY LOVE them together! Yes, you can buy this snack already to go from the store but had a high cost and again - extra ingredients.

I make my own - how hard is it to spread popcorn on a baking sheet, melt dark chocolate in a double boiler and drizzle it over. I do a combo of dark and white chocolate.

A VERY yummmy snack.

I hope you give these a try. Especially the pizza - let me know how it turns out - I'd LOVE to hear!

Teresa

Today's Interesting Link: I have been collecting pizza recipes and pinning them to my dinner ideas pinterest board. I'm hoping to try new topping lists this summer and be more creative. How about 4 cheese white pizza or Fig jam, carmelized onion and blue cheese!  

Here is a link to 40 pizza recipes!

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