pizza night

I have a favorite new recipe.  I was directed to this by Elizabeth, the best cook in Prague (after my 'umble 'usband, of course).

It's from the "Good Housekeeping Cookbook."  [Am I allowed to share their recipes online? If I credit them?]

You need to start this two and a half hours before you want to eat.  But it's worth the extra time, and rushing the process won't work.

Stir together in large bowl:

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 packet dry yeast (or 1/2 a cube of wet yeast in CZ)
• 1 teaspoon sugar

After it's dissolved, let it sit for 5 minutes till foamy.

Add and stir together with wooden spoon:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 t salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour

Stir until smooth.  Then add:

• 2 cups flour

and stir until the dough comes away from the side of the bowl.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Slowly work in more flour while kneading so the dough doesn't get sticky.

• 1/2 cup flour 

Shape dough into a ball and place in greased bowl, rolling dough to get oil all over it.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour (until doubled) at about 80-85F

Punch dough down; cut into 2 halves.  Cover and let rest 15 minutes. (Or you can refrigerate for 24 hrs)

Roll each dough out with floured rolling pin.  You're supposed to roll them out onto a cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal.  I've rolled it out on the counter, spread it more with my hands, and then tossed it on the cornmeal-covered cookie sheet.

Bake at 450 for about 15-20 minutes.

We use tomato sauce (like for pasta) for the topping.  If we have some of G's BBQ sauce in the fridge, a little bit of that adds nice flavor.  Then Garrett sprinkles on spices: oregano & garlic powder, or whatever you like.

To do it P-Style, top with mozzarella cheese, sliced avocado, sundried tomatoes, and GourmeT Gařřett chicken.  Yum.