Friday Night Pizza (and a movie)

I am doing you a huge favor. I am divulging my secret recipe. And it is a little more healthy for you because it calls for wheat flour. It is a recipe that has brought joy to many people throughout the years. I am sharing the love.
Oh, the benefits of reading this blog!
I do not know exactly when the tradition started, about the time I was 14 or 15 maybe. I learned how to make home made pizza in my Home Economics class at school and it was a big hit at home and it was a frequent request.
Over the years I tweaked the recipe. When my husband and I cut down on white flour, I tweaked it even more so that it would work with wheat flour. I came up with a very simple recipe for the sauce that is so delicious but you can make your own recipe or open a jar of Ragu…whatever works.
Pizza and a movie just naturally go together. Every single Friday for the past 18 years, (or Saturday if the schedule must be changed for some very good reason), we have “Pizza/Movie Night”. The kids look forward to it all week. On the extremely rare occasion that we miss a Pizza/Movie Night, it would seem the world is about to come to an end.
Making home made pizza is a lot of work but this is a family night so everyone pitches in. And I figure I burn a heck of a lot of calories in the kitchen making the masterpiece and so I earn a couple of extra pieces of the cheesy goodness. That is what I tell myself anyway.
Even better is adding ice cream and brownies after the movie. But that is a recipe for another post.
And now the moment you have all been waiting for:
Dough:
4 cups Hot Water
1 Tbl honey
1 1/2 Tbl yeast
1/2 Cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
Mix and let foam.
Then add:
2 cups oats
2 cups white flour
5 cups wheat flour or enough so the dough is not sticky. If you have a bosch, this is when the dough comes clean off the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Preheat the oven to 450. Let the dough raise for about 20 minutes. Divide into 4 or 5 balls (depending on how thick/thin you like your pizza), roll out, and place on greased pizza pans. Prick the dough with a fork.
Now pre-cook the dough between 3-5 minutes. Do not let the crust begin to brown.
Pizza sauce:
1 can of crushed tomato (14oz)
3 small cans of tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1-2 Tbl dried basil
Combine all ingredients in blender and place desired amount on pre-cooked crusts.
Toppings:
Mozzarella Cheese
Medium Cheddar Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
*Canadian Bacon
Pineapple
Pepperoni
*Sausage
Red Peepers
Green Onions
etc!
Add desired amount and combination of cheese and toppings. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
*We try to use home grown meat or buy nitrate/nitrite free meat.
Cook two pizzas at a time, switching them on the racks after about 7-10 minutes. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese starts to turn a delightful golden/brown color.

Pop in a family flick, stuff your face, and have a great time with your family!
Note to those of you who have been a guest at our pizza table: I once had a friend say to me while watching me making these, “This really is an art for you, isn’t it?”Yes, it is true. Don’t be sad if your pizza doesn’t turn out exactly like mine. Keep perfecting it, adding your own desired changes, and soon you will be a Pizza Master like me:)

3 Comments

1. Rachel
   Posted March 12, 2010 at 5:39 pm
   I too make homemade pizza. Of late I have been lazy and have reverted back to white flour crust only. I need to repent and get back to my wheat/oat/white flour combo. We do pizza and movie night on Fridays too. It’s way fun!
   
2. Jessica
   Posted March 12, 2010 at 7:03 pm
   I’m thrilled you shared this recipe with us. I can’t wait to have Josh make pizza for me.
   
3. Traci Cozzocrea
   Posted May 17, 2010 at 8:52 pm
   Cannot wait to try this one!