Pizza by Kraus Family

Source: Farm Journal Cookbook

Ingredients

1 T. or pkg. yeast 1-1/4 c. warm water (110 to 115 degrees) 3-1/2 to 4 c. sifted flour 1/2 t. salt Pizza sauce and toppings

Instructions

Sprinkle yeast on warm water, stir to dissolve. Add 2 c. flour and salt. Beat thoroughly. Stir in remaining flour. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Place in lightly greased bowl; turn dough over to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Turn onto board and knead just long enough to force out large bubbles. Divide into half. Roll each half to make an 11” circle. Stretch each circle to fit an oiled 12” pizza pan. Add sauce and toppings (see recipes below).

Bake in very hot oven (450 degrees) 20 to 25 minutes. Exchange positions of pans on oven racks once during baking to brown pizzas the same. Makes 2 pizzas.

Note: If you do not have pizza pans, use baking sheets. Roll each half of dough into a 12” x 10” rectangle, or one that almost fills your baking sheet. Place on oiled baking sheets and build up edges slightly. Fill and bake like round pizzas.

Ground Beef Filling: spread 1 (8 oz.) can pizza sauce over dough in each pizza pan (you’ll use two cans). Brown 1 lb. ground beef in skillet and drain; divide in half and sprinkle evenly over each pizza 1-1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese (about 12 oz. cheese for both pizzas). Bake as directed.

Ham and Salami Filling: spread 1 (8 oz.) can pizza sauce over dough in each pizza pan (you’ll use two cans). Alternate strips of boiled ham and salami on sauce (about 4 slices ham and 6 slices salami, cut in strips, for both pizzas). Sprinkle each pizza with 1-1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake as directed.

Sausage Filling: spread 1 (8 oz.) can pizza sauce over dough in each pizza pan (you’ll use two cans). Brown 1 lb. bulk pork sausage in ,bskillet, drain and divide in half. Spread evenly over sauce in pizza dough then sprinkle 1-1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese over each pizza. Bake as directed.

Choice of Pizza Fillings: fill dough in each pizza pan with 1(8 oz.) can pizza sauce and sprinkle on each 1-1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese. Cook 1 lb. pizza sausage in skillet, drain and divide in half. Sprinkle evenly over pizza dough in pans filled with sauce and cheese. Or instead of pizza sausage, top with anchovies, mushrooms, sliced ripe olives, sardines or miniature frankfurters. Bake as directed.

To Freeze Pizza Dough: when you divide the risen dough in half, roll each into an 11” circle. Place in oiled pizza pan with double thickness of waxed paper between circles. Wrap and freeze. Keeps up to 1 week.

To Use Frozen Pizza Dough; Remove from freezer and let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. With fingers, pull and stretch circles to cover pizza pans. Fill and bake as directed.