Eric’s Favorite Pizza

Ingredients

• bread flour

• yeast

• sugar

• salt

• garlic powder (optional)

• olive oil

• Toppings of choice

  we like: pizza sauce, vegan cheese, sliced tomatoes, bell pepper, sliced mushrooms(crimini and/or shitake), pitted olives, spinach, cauliflower and finish with another layer of vegan cheese

1.            Combine 1 cup of bread flour, 1 packet instant yeast, 1 ½ tsp sugar, and ¾ tsp salt in a large bowl. If you like garlic, add ¼ tsp garlic powder at this point.

2.            Add 2 tbs olive oil and ¾ cup warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir well very well.

3.            Gradually add another 1 cup of flour. Add any additional flour as needed, stirring until the dough is forming into a cohesive, elastic ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be slightly sticky but still should be manageable with your hands.

4.            Drizzle a separate, large, clean bowl generously with olive oil and use a pastry brush to brush up the sides of the bowl.

5.            Lightly dust your hands with flour and form your pizza dough into a round ball and transfer to your olive oil-brushed bowl. Use your hands to roll the pizza dough along the inside of the bowl until it is coated in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place.

6.            Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

7.            Once the dough has risen, use your hands to gently deflate it and transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth (about 3-5 times). 

8.            Use either your hands or a rolling pin to work the dough into 12" circle.

9.            Transfer dough to either a parchment paper lined pizza pan or a pre heated pizza stone. Pinch the edges or fold them over to form a crust.

10.        Drizzle additional olive oil (about a Tablespoon) over the top of the pizza and use your pastry brush to brush the entire surface of the pizza (including the crust) with olive oil. 

11.        Use a fork to poke holes all over the center of the pizza to keep the dough from bubbling up in the oven.

12.        Add desired toppings. Here is what I like to put on in order: pizza sauce, vegan cheese, sliced tomatoes, bell pepper, sliced mushrooms(crimini and/or shitake), pitted olives, spinach, and finish with another layer of vegan cheese. The best pizza vegan cheese I have found so far has been the Miyokos mozzarella. This tastes great and melts just like the old school version of cheese from a cow.

13.        Bake in a 425F preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until toppings are golden brown. Slice and serve.

Notes

Bread flour will yield a crispier pizza which I like. If you only have all purpose flour that is fine, the crust will just be slightly chewier.

The warm water added to the yeast should be around 110F, any hotter and it will kill the yeast.