Cooking: Pizza Recipe Time! · Society of Ordinary Gents

Cooking: Pizza Recipe Time!

As mentioned in a few of James', Courtney Ryan's, and other lifestyle improvement coaches' videos (such as most attractive hobbies), and being a former chef, on top of being a single dad and knowing the woes of the trope "starving college kid", I figured it's time to share my favorite pizza recipe.

Why pizza?

It's universally loved, it's flexible, it's cheap to make, and it makes lots of left-overs.

Think about it - Ordering a pizza usually costs around $30 these days. Why spend that on one pizza when you could spend that on ingredients and make 10-20 pizzas at home, and take pride in knowing you did it yourself? Especially as a father, it doubles as a lesson to show and include my child.

I know those new to cooking might find this daunting, but trust me, it's all about trial and triumph, and the skills gained from refining cooking goes way beyond just cooking (develops life skills like being better organized, attention to detail, sense of timing, and motivation to improve on everything you do).

TOOLS/UTENSILS:

Oven
Microwave
Metal pizza pan (12 inches to 16-20 inches; solid or perforated)
Sturdy fork or mixer with dough hook
Measuring cups and spoons
Pizza slicer
Microwave-friendly liquid measuring glass (up to 4-8 cups volume)
Rolling pin
Oven mitts/grippers
Large and small plastic food storage containers (1-2 gallon, 8-16 oz)
Analog Bi-metallic stem thermometer (calibrated)

INGREDIENTS/SHOPPING LIST:

(Based on California prices)

All-purpose flour (recommend 10 pound bag; won't use it all at once, but smarter to buy in bulk) Roughly costs $10-$15
Tomato sauce or puree (8oz-12oz can), usually $3-$5
Active dry yeast, usually $2
Granulated sugar (again, recommend buying in bulk), roughly $5
Salt and pepper (ranges in price; as low as $3 for a small pack, or grinders and bulk pack for around $20-$30)
Italian seasoning (large 6oz container lasts a while), roughly $3-$5 at Chef Stores
Olive oil (32 fluid ounce bottles are usually $10 at Trader Joe's - pouring spout is a bonus)
Onion and Garlic powders (optional, usually $2-$5 each)
Honey - (optional) Varies. I use Montana Sweet Clover honey from Chicohoneyco.com, starts around $12
Truffle oil - (Optional). Can buy various sizes off Amazon for around $10-$30
Toppings (Aside from cheese, all optional):
Shredded mozzarella cheese (or other blend, family size), roughly $8-$10
Pepperoni - Store brand is usually cheaper and just as good, and I recommend turkey pepperoni (roughly $5-$10 per bag)
Mushrooms - Portabella or White Button (roughly $5 per pack). Better to buy whole and slice yourself, roughly $3-$5
Sliced olives - Roughly $3 per can

RECIPE (Imperial units):

YEAST MIX

Water - 2 cups
Yeast (active dry) - 2 tablespoons
Sugar - 1 teaspoon

These are to make the yeast, which you'll add to the flour mixture. Heat the water to between 90F-110F (have a thermometer handy, such as an analog bi-metallic stem thermometer with adjustable wing nut, and be sure it's calibrated). While hot/cooling down, add the sugar and stir well.

Why sugar?

It's "food" for the yeast to create alcohol, which adds depth to the flavor. Sprinkle the yeast on top, and mix in well with a fork (no chunks). Let sit for 10 mins. Should form a "head" similar to beer. Too cold, and the yeast won't activate. Too hot and it'll kill the yeast. Yes, you're about to create life, then destroy it... /maniacal laughter!

FLOUR MIX

Flour (All-purpose) 5 1/4 cups (recommend buying a 10 pound bag in advance).
Salt - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Pepper - To taste, fresh ground is best
Herbs - Optional, 1 cup (I like Italian seasoning)
Onion powder - Optional, adds a great smell and flavor, 1/2 cup
Garlic powder - Optional, 1/4 cup
Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
White truffle oil - Optional, 1/2 teaspoon

While waiting for the yeast, lightly grease a large (2 gallon) plastic/ceramic container (and lid) with olive oil to minimize sticking. Place the flour into this container. Add all ingredients and mix with a fork.

DOUGH

When the 10 minutes finish on the yeast, stir it once more and add it to the flour mix. Personally, I stir it with a strong fork by hand until it forms a mostly dough consistency, then I mix the rest by hand until I can form it into a consistent ball (should still have some stickiness to it, but mostly dry and elastic).

This will yield roughly 3 pizzas on a pan roughly 14-16 inches wide. Let sit for 2 hours to rise, and "punch" it down every so often. Once the 2 hours are up, it's ready to make. Most people use wheat-based flour, but you can use alternatives, such as rice flour (many Vietnamese recipes like Banh Mi do this).

SAUCE

Tomato sauce/puree - 1 can (8 oz or 16 oz; adjust other ingredients accordingly)
Salt and pepper - To taste
Herbs - Optional, Italian seasoning, roughly 1/8-1/4 cup
Onion powder - 1 teaspoon
Garlic powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Honey - Optional, to taste, usually 1 tablespoon
Liquid smoke - Optional, to taste, usually 2 drops
Worcestershire Sauce - Optional, to taste, usually 1 teaspoon
BBQ Sauce (Kinder's Gold) - Optional, usually 1 tablespoon
Olive/truffle oil - 1 teaspoon olive oil, maybe a few drops of truffle oil (black, optional)

Make this within the last 30 mins of the pizza dough rising, and keep at room temperature until after using. Traditionally, you make some version of Marinara sauce as a base layer for pizza, though if you're putting an Asian spin on it, could use peanut sauce.

As for sauce vs puree, that's up to you. Puree is chunkier and doesn't spread as easily, but makes a thicker sauce layer which can hold more flavor, but takes longer to cook (maybe an extra 1-2 mins). Sauce spreads better, but makes a thinner layer and not as much flavor, but doesn't take as long to cook.

PIZZA

Shredded mozzarella or other blend of cheese (roughly 4 cups, but usually eyeball it)

Toppings of your choice (pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, chicken, etc.)

Lightly grease the pan with olive oil and preheat oven to 470F (this may vary depending on altitude and arid vs humid climates). Lightly dust your counter top with flour, break off 1/3 of the dough to roll, and put the rest away in the refrigerator. Roll out the dough until it's roughly 1/8 inch thick and resembles a circle, then transfer to the pan.

Drizzle olive oil over the dough, and spread evenly with the back of a spoon. Add sauce and spread evenly with the same spoon. Add enough layer of shredded cheese until you generally don't see the sauce.

Add toppings (pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, etc.). As for me, I usually add pepperoni, sliced then broken mushrooms (Portabella or White Button), and sliced olives. Prior to spreading, I like to sprinkle the olives with salt, pepper, and a little black truffle oil. Sometimes, I add a light layer of cheese on top of the toppings.

ROLL OR DON'T ROLL CRUST?

You can roll the outer edge of the dough onto itself to make a classic thicker crust at the edge if you like. If you do, this gives you the opportunity for a "stuffing".

Personally, I like to add a thin layer of honey before folding it, so it's like a pocket of sweet and savory for dessert. When I lived in Colorado, they gave you honey as a condiment to dip the crust in. If you're feeling fancy, and make this to flavor your coffee anyway, I recommend adding a little lavender syrup (easy to make) with the honey.

Bake for 20-25 minutes for an al dente/"short bite" crust (crunchy outside but not burnt, soft inside - recommend checking on it around 20 minutes and judge from there, maybe even lower the temp to 450F).

Remove from oven and cut into eighths. I usually eat about 2-3 slices, and save the rest, sometimes eating with salad for both healthier reasons and extend how long I can make a meal of it.

SUMMARY

Another thing to mention is to "clean as you go". It might be hard getting organized while cooking a meal, but from start ("Mise en place") to end, you should take an organized approach, and clean/put away ingredients/utensils as you go. It makes overall clean up and organization better (won't be leaving behind a daunting mess you don't want to clean up).

Best to do so in the 20+ mins while your pizza bakes, as well as getting plates and oven mitts/grippers ready.

Please let me know your favorite methods, toppings, funny mistakes, and first attempts!

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

Though I am an experienced chef, I am not a licensed professional culinary arts teacher. Please always practice safety with all tools and appliances used.

It should go without saying, but clearly do not misuse a knife, do not put anything metal into appliances such as toasters or microwaves, be careful around hot surfaces like ovens and ranges, be careful around cookware that may be hot, be certain to use oven mitts for both gripping hot items and laying hot items onto surfaces such as tables (or else you'll risk burning yourself on said surface).

Always be certain to check your food for spoilage and thorough cooking to recommended internal temperatures as per the OSHA and HACCP standards.

All items and procedures outlined in this and all other cooking-related posts are to be replicated at your own risk, and I, the poster, am not liable for any misinterpretation of instructions which result in physical harm, or harm in any other form.

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