Really good pizza at home

Is it possible?  Pizza crust at home that tastes like the kind at Il Ritrovo in Sheboygan or Cafe Porta Alba in Madison?  Well, not exactly like that, but in my defense my husband won't let me build a wood fired oven that gets up to 800 degrees in our kitchen.  But if you really want that slightly chewy, thin, bendy crust you can make a fair substitute without a day trip.

A foodie friend suggested a book called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  Now I figured that I do probably have five minutes a day.  Maybe cut out five minutes of Pinterest or Facebook time, but I could do it.  It calls for making a sticky dough ahead of time.  Then all you have to do is cut off a piece from the fridge and fashion it into whatever you want.  Pizza?  Boule?  Pastry?  A bit more complex than that, but basically the idea.

I will let you buy the book for details if interested, but here is a similar recipe from my favorite website that never fails.  Thank you Cook's Illustrated.  The only thing that I bought that is pretty essential is a pizza stone.  I got mine for $12 on sale at Macy's so it really isn't that big of an investment!

Neapolitan pizza crust with classic margherita toppings

INGREDIENTS

• Dough

• 1 1/4teaspoons instant yeast
• 1cup water (8 ounces), room temperature
• 1 3/4cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces), plus extra for dusting work surface and peel
• 1cup cake flour (4 ounces)
• 1 1/2teaspoons table salt
• 2teaspoons sugar

• Topping

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2teaspoon sugar
• 1small clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (optional)
• 1/4cup chopped fresh basil
• Table salt
• 8ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (see note above), cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lowest position, set pizza stone on oven rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. In liquid measuring cup, whisk yeast into water to dissolve. In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flours, salt, and sugar until combined, about 5 seconds. With machine running, slowly add liquid through feed tube; continue to process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. (If after 1 minute dough is sticky and clings to blade, add 1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and continue processing. If dough appears dry and crumbly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water and process until dough forms ball.) Divide dough in half and shape into smooth, tight balls (see photo 1, below). Place on floured counter or baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart; cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
   2. FOR THE TOPPING: In clean bowl of food processor, process tomatoes until crushed, two or three 1-second pulses. Transfer tomatoes to fine-mesh strainer set over bowl and let drain at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to release liquids. Just before shaping pizza rounds, combine drained tomatoes, sugar, garlic (if using), 1 tablespoon basil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl.

   

   
   
   3. TO SHAPE AND COOK THE PIZZAS: When dough balls have doubled in size, dust dough liberally with flour and transfer balls to well-floured work surface. Press one ball into 8-inch disk (photo 2). Using flattened palms, gently stretch disk into 12-inch circle, working along outer edge and giving disk quarter turns (photos 3 and 4). Lightly flour pizza peel; lift edges of dough round to brush off any excess flour, then transfer dough to peel. Spread thin layer of tomato topping (about 1/2 cup) over dough with rubber spatula, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Slide onto stone and bake until crust begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove pizza from oven with peel, close oven door, and top pizza with half of cheese chunks, spaced evenly apart. Return pizza to stone and continue cooking until cheese is just melted, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to cutting board; sprinkle with half of remaining basil, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and pinch salt. Slice and serve immediately. Repeat step 3 to shape, top, and bake second pizza.

   
   

   I had left over dough, so the next night I made focaccia with caprese toppings.

   

   
   

   

   
   

   The week's menu

   Saturday:  Homemade pizza.  I prepped the dough in the morning.  Used three pounds for pizza that night and saved a pound for Sunday.

   Sunday:  Focaccia with caprese toppings.  This was so good!  I may have even loved it more than the pizza!

   Monday:  Hit the easy button!  A box from the store!  Really the only one I ever buy.  Gorditas.  I have mine as a salad.

   Tuesday:  Chicken, broccoli, noodle dish with creamy sauce.  I prepped enough chicken and broccoli for Wednesday too.

   Wednesday:  Chicken and broccoli with hoisin sauce and rice.

   Thursday:  Breakfast for supper with breakfast sausage and potato hash.