Sara Stirs the Pot: When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie...

A tavola non si invecchia. - Italian proverb.
At the table with good friends and family you do not become old.

What is the one food that is appealing to all ages? PIZZA!!!! Whether it be Chicago deep dish or New York thin crust it is all a classic. There are not many items that you can treasure all over the world that have the same concept just twisted to fit a particular culture. Pizza, it is worldly. It has become the go to eat for people when they do not want to cook. It is said that the average American consumes 23lbs of pizza per year, you cannot say this about many other dishes. I have an affinity for pizza, but prefer to prepare my own. I am a enthusiast of a thin crispy crust. Today I challenge you to spend your Saturday creating homemade pizza dough and sauce (do not be intimidated) for your homemade pizza tonight. You will not be disappointed with the results. What an excellent idea to bring the family together, or a date night. I am granting you with the ability to design any pizza you desire. Below you will see the 4 pizzas that I am unveiling for inspiration. The white artichoke and tomato was my favorite! Below each picture is a description of what is on the pizza.

Margherita Pizza: Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Basil

For the Dough

Makes 4 11in pizzas

3 C flour

1 packet yeast

1 cup warm water

1 t salt

2 T honey

1 T olive oil

Combine yeast and water, let sit 3-4 minutes until the yeast starts to foam and bubble up. Combine flour and salt. Mix yeast, water, honey, olive oil with the flour mixture slowly. I used a food processor for this part. You can use a stand mixer or do it by hand.

Once combined knead for 3-4 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and let rise for 2-3 hours. Once the dough has risen divide in 4 equal parts. Grease a pizza pan, and bake each pizza shell until just firm. Precooking the shells will make a crispy crust. Set aside.

For the Sauce

1 large can San Marzano tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

12 basil leaves

1 T dried oregano

1 t baking soda

salt and pepper to taste

2 T olive oil

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and oregano saute until fragrant. Add tomatoes, baking soda, salt, pepper, and basil. Reduce to a simmer. Allow to cook for an hour.