I don’t know many people that don’t like pizza. (And if that is you, you can clearly skip this entire post and go merrily along your way). Homemade pizza is actually ridiculously easy to make, and with the tiniest bit of creativity, or perhaps just *permission* to think outside the box, you can whip up totally trendy hipster style pizzas at home that restaurants charge a stupid amount of money for.
First step? The dough. Dough is crazy easy, and something kids can help with if you happen to have that particular affliction in your home. It becomes even easier if you have a stand mixer.
Proof 2 tsp dry yeast with a pinch of sugar and 1 cup of warm water. After the yeast is bubbly and happy (proving that it is good and hungry), toss 3 cups of flour, a generous squirt of honey, 1 tsp salt and a drizzle of olive oil in the bowl and start your dough hook. Slowly add more warm water as needed until you get a nice, slightly sticky, dough. Knead with the dough hook for 5 or so minutes, and set aside in the same lightly oiled bowl to rise.
Need a rise hack? Put that covered bowl on a heating pad on the lowest setting. These little babies are year round Christmas miracles and will change your life, especially if you live in a space that isn’t warm and fuzzy all the time.
It will take an hour or so for your dough to rise, which will give you plenty of time to poke through your fridge to find whatever you will be using to make your super hipster, primo delish, leftover incorporating pizza.
Need a push? The following make amazeballs additions to any pizza you can create: cream cheese, jalapenos, chicken breasts, bacon, lunch meat, pasta sauce, sauteed vegetables, roasted vegetables, savory jams, literally any kind of cheese, eggs, and garlic in any form. The list is obviously almost endless. Get creative. Use what’s in your fridge or cupboards and get ready for deliciousness.
Last night’s pizza utilized leftover vodka cream sauce in the place of traditional marinara, dollops of salty ricotta (I.Love.Ricotta.Cheese. I can literally eat it with a spoon and salt shaker out of the container), leftover ‘chicken wing chicken’ (chicken breasts chopped with wing sauce), green onions, both fresh mozz and sprinkle mozz, as well as some chopped fresh jalapeno. Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
When your dough is risen, assemble your ingredients on your dough as pressed on your chosen pan, and pop in a 475-500 degree oven for 15 or so minutes. Check on it toward the end (like you do) and tweak as needed. Allow to cool, and stuff face.
Add an egg in the last 5 minutes of cooking to up your hipster game. Sprinkle fresh basil or *gasp* arugula (mad hipster street cred for the latter) after baking. What will you make with your leftovers? And how freaking delicious was it?
annie.crafty.pants 