I made a homemade dough for the pizza crust from an interesting book my mother gave me. You can see from the picture below that I've used this pizza crust recipe a lot, like the book just opens right to the proper page.
This book is "Homemade Bread" written by the Food Editors of Farm Journal. There are a lot of interesting bread recipes in this book along with tips and techniques. I've modified this recipe a little and then used some techniques from a book on easy everyday bread to minimize work.
POPULAR PIZZA DOUGH
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees to 115)
3 1/2 to 4 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt (don't leave out the salt, trust me)
4 Tbsp. butter, softened (this is not in the original recipe, but it makes a huge difference)
Pour water in your mixer bowl, add the yeast. With the paddle, give the water/yeast mix a turn or two.
Add 1 cup flour with the paddle running on low. Add the butter and the salt, then add one more cup of flour.
Change out paddle for kneading paddle and add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until you've got a smooth dough ball.
Leave dough in the bowl, lift the kneading paddle and cover the bowl with a towel and leave for an hour until doubled. Punch down and cover again. Let rise until doubled again.
Sprinkle counter with flour. Divide into two pieces and roll out to fit your pizza pan (greased).
Makes 2 crusts.
This dough can be frozen until you need it, so you could make a batch or two during a weekend, divide it into individual pies and then just thaw one for a quick meal. And, to make it easy, I never took it out of the bowl until I was ready to roll it. If you want to do it the more hands-on way, feel free. I have carpal tunnel and issues with my shoulders, so this is so much easier, really.
So here's the recipe for the rest of the pizza ...
REUBEN PIZZA with a stuffed crust
1 Batch of Popular Pizza Dough
1 lb. Deli Corned Beef, shredded (you could use leftover from a boiled corned beef dinner, if you have leftovers ... )
One 8-oz. bottle Thousand Island Dressing
One 15-oz. can Sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed as dry possible
2 cups Swiss Cheese, grated
1 cup Provolone/Mozzarella grated blend (optional, you could always use more Swiss instead)
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water
Coarse Salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease 2 round pizza pans.
Divide dough into two balls. Sprinkle flour on counter and dust rolling pin, roll dough to fit a pizza pan.
Fold dough in half, and then half again. Place on pan and unfold. Stretch so leaves 3/4 inch dough over the edge of the pan all around.
Spread a generous amount of Thousand Island Dressing over dough. Divide sauerkraut and sprinkle half over each pizza. Divide cheese into four parts and sprinkle one part over pizza, then top with half shredded corned beef.
Spread about a half cup of Provolone/Mozzarella mix around edges and fold dough over to make stuffed crust. Sprinkle the second part of Swiss cheese over pizza. Use remaining Thousand Island, cheese(s), sauerkraut and corned beef on second pizza.
Break egg in small bowl. Add a tablespoon of water and whisk to combine. Brush onto crusts of pizzas and sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees F until cheese is melted and crust is gold brown. Recipe makes 2 pizzas.
I did not put the egg wash and salt on mine, but I think it would have made it better, adding that little extra reason to eat the crust besides that fact it's stuff with cheese. Homemade pizzas of any type are so much better than those you buy and really are super easy. If you pre-make the dough, you could easily go from dough to fully cooked pizza in less than a hour.
The best compliment ... no leftovers.
Laura
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