Sunday, February 12, 2012

Making Pizza

I love ground beef as a versatile meat option for dinner, however, sometimes I run out of ideas about what to make with it.

I decided to try making pizza. It was a perfect chance to use my new Kitchen-aid Artisan Mixer which I got for Christmas but haven't used yet. I've never used a mixer like this before and was surprised at how easy it is to use. I enjoyed using the mixer a lot and will likely use it again very soon.

Initially I wanted a red mixer but the stores were out of them. This chrome coloured one is nice too!

Crusty Pizza Dough

1 package active dry yeast (1 tbsp.)
1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp. cornmeal

Dissolve year in warm water. Add salt, olive oil and 1/1/2 cups flour. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 1 minute.

Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl, about 2  minutes. Knead of speed 2 for about 2 minutes longer.

Please dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place free from draft, about 1 hour, or until it is doubled in size. Punch dough down.

The dough formed into a ball but before I greased it for rising.  I mixed a double batch of pizza dough.  After rising I formed half of it into a loaf of bread. I used the other half to make a huge pizza.The bread turned out nice and crusty; just as the name of the dough says!


Brush 14-inch pizza pan with oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Press dough across bottom of pan, forming a collar around edge to hold toppings. Add toppings as desired. Bake at 450 degree F. oven for 15-20 minutes.
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There are green beans and broccoli in the chopped mixture above, as well as a red onion. You can add more flavour to your pizza by seasoning the ground beef, adding herbs to the tomato sauce, or putting fresh herbs, like basil, on the top of your pizza as a topping.

The pizza is fresh out of the oven and ready to enjoy!
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I don't eat much pizza and this was the first time I'd ever made one.  I made this one extra large, in a rectangular pan rather than my round pizza pan which was too small. There was plenty of pizza left over for snacks and next day's lunch. 

I think I'll experiment more often with pizza making.  I'd love to try using unusual combinations of vegetables.

8 comments:

Kay L. Davies said...

I'm so jealous about the Kitchen-aid, Penny. One of my old school friends has had one for years, and I told my husband I'd love to have one. So what did he do? He bought me a Sunbeam stand mixer, which I used once and hated. But don't tell him I said that. LOL
Your pizza looks wonderful.
K

Joyful said...

Hi Kay, I've always longed for one of these mixers but they are so expensive. There was a big sale on them not so long ago so that is when I got mine. I love it! In fact, I'm using it today to mix up some more bread.

Vores have said...

Hello Joyful.
Uhm, where does your pizza leaking.
Lovely kitchen machine you've got .....
Thanks for the comment on my blog.
Wishing you a great Monday / good new week.
Hugs Hanne Bente ♥

Jan said...

We have had home made pizza over the years, with my own range of toppings. I do find that dried oregano gives the dough a taste closer to the ones I remember from years ago.
Blessings, Jan

Joyful said...

Thank you, Hanne. I'm so pleased with the machine. You have yourself a great week too my friend.

Joyful said...

Thanks for the tip, Jan. I will use that next time. Blessings. xx

Alexander said...

Nice machine and the pizza looks good. Yummy...

Alexander
Alex's World! - http://www.kakinan.com/alex

Joyful said...

Hello Alexander, thanks for your visit. Too bad you couldn't have "tasteavision" through the computer screen, lol. The pizza was good but next time will use more seasonings.

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