Homemade Veggie Pizza

At my birthday parties when I was younger, my mother always made a huge batch of pizza dough and everyone could choose their toppings to make their own personal pizzas. This was very special. I always loaded my 6-inch pizza with toppings three inches high because I wanted a little bit of everything (and more!) on mine.

Making homemade pizza gives me a nostalgic sort of feeling; I take great joy in it and hope to spread the tradition on to... well, my sister's children in the future.

Usually, I make a yeast-less dough because I do not have a lot of experience with yeast. However, I tried a yeast-dough this time for practice and also because I think it adds a lot to the crust. You decide. Personally, my crust preference is just a little doughy, but my boyfriend likes it crisp. The crust on this pizza was a happy medium: crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy (though not doughy) on the inside. I dipped my pizza in marinara sauce and vinaigrette.

Also, note to self: curry pizza? We'll have to try it.

Homemade Veggie Pizza

Dough:
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 c. warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 1/4 c. flour (a mixture of whole wheat and all purpose would be best)
2 T olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning (basil, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, etc.)

Toppings:*
1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. sliced peppers (I used yellow peppers)
1 tsp olive oil
1 c. marinara sauce
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 sliced tomato
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/8 c. vinaigrette**

In a large mixer bowl, dissolve yeast, sugar, and salt in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. It should have that pleasant, yeasty smell.

Add bread flour and olive oil to the yeast mixture; stir well with a fork to combine. Now beat well with a dough hook in an electric mixer (or knead with your hands) until a stiff dough has formed. Cover and rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Saute onions and peppers until golden.

Turn dough out onto a well floured surface. Form dough into a round ball and roll out into a pizza crust shape. Lay dough out onto a baking stone or other baking sheet. I always rub olive oil on the pan and sprinkle it with cornmeal before putting the dough on it to prevent sticking. Cut excess dough off and form a crust around the edges. Put in heated oven for about 5 minutes.

Remove the dough from oven. Cover with red sauce, cheese, tomatoes, then sauteed veggies. Sprinkle with garlic salt and perhaps some more herbs, then drizzle with vinaigrette. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

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You'll have to forgive me for my lack of visual aids. I made the mistake of waiting until the last slice to take a picture; I heated it up, went to get my camera (maybe I got sidetracked taking pictures of my woof), and lo' and behold'! No more pizza. Whoops. Lesson learned. Sorry!

*Pizza is versatile; Put anything you could imagine on top! I've tried things like plums, zucchini, eggplant, pineapple and more--You can't go wrong.
**Vinaigrette is fairly simple to make; I use a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, water, and herbs.