Pizza is an Italian specialty beloved by people of all nationalities the world over. Whether it be a traditional thin based classic in Rome, a meat-fueled deep dish from Chicago, or a 1 dollar slice from downtown New York, with pizza, you know exactly what you’re getting. It has near-universal appeal, which can be attributed to its convenience, sublime taste, and extreme simplicity. With that said, if you’ve ever wondered how to make a pizza yourself, then you’re in luck because here we’ll show you to basic steps to making a pizza that any full-blooded Italian would be proud of.
Make the Dough
Here you can go one of two ways. If you want an easy life, then you can just pick up some handy pre-made dough from your local supermarket. But if you really want to test your culinary skills (or impress your dinner guests), then consider making your own dough. Making good pizza dough is an art form, but the ingredients are pretty simple; olive oil, flour, yeast, water, salt, and sugar. Firstly, combine the warm water, yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl and leave it to sit until the yeast starts to foam. Then make a well in the flour and gradually pour in the yeast mixture into the center of this well. Knock some of the flour from the well walls into the yeast puddle, then repeat this step until all the wet and dry mixtures are combined. Next is the strenuous part, as you should knead the dough for at least 10 minutes (or your muscles start to ache too much). Next, place the dough ball into an oiled bowl, cover over and leave the dough to rise for about an hour. Finally, separate the dough into two even halves and go to the next crucial step.
Make the Sauce
Every good pizza deserves a truly wonderful sauce. Although there is some room for inventiveness in this spot, traditionally pasta sauces are creamy and tomato-based. Why change a winning formula?
Firstly, if using diced tomatoes, you should crush them finely with a fork (or you could use pre-crushed tomatoes. This is essential to achieve a smooth, even sauce. Next, you should chop the onions and crush some cloves of garlic and fry these lightly together in a pan. Other ingredients are optional at this point. Next, combine the cooked ingredients and the tomato sauce in one pan and allow it to simmer gently for about an hour. If you want to experiment with some extra flavors at this point, you could add some herbs such as rosemary, basil, oregano, or thyme. If the sauce is too uneven, consider blending it.
Combine and Add Toppings
Now simply roll out the dough you prepared earlier into that iconic pizza shape, and brush it with some olive oil. Then, spread over liberal helpings of the sauce onto the pizza base. Next comes the fun part. You can add any selection of toppings you like. For example, you could opt for the traditional pepperoni or salami slices, you could experiment with weird cheeses, or you could try a selection of vegetables. Once you have assembled the perfect pizza, simply place it in a preheated oven at 450 F for 10-15 minutes, and after that, dig in!