Homemade Pizza

Mix together the yeast, warm water, olive oil, salt and sugar and let stand a few minutes. Add flour to form a dough and knead until smooth and elastic 8-12 minutes. OR combine yeast mixture with flour in food processor, adding flour until dough forms a ball on blade. Put dough in oiled bowl and turn. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise about 40 minutes. Punch down and shape dough into large circle in oiled, cornmeal-dusted 16" pizza pan. (If you prefer smaller pizzas, divide dough in halves or fourths). This will make a puffy-crusted pizza. If you prefer a thin crust, refrigerate the dough for an hour or more after you punch it down. Then shape it in the pizza pan. YIELD: Enough for one 16" pizza. 2-4 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, diced 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 28 oz. can Progresso or Contadina crushed tomatoes in puree 1-2 teaspoons mixed Italian seasoning, or your choice(s) of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, etc. (If fresh is available, by all means, use it!) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/3 cup red wine Heat olive oil in pan, add onions and cook 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, cooking 30 seconds, while stirring. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover partially; and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let sauce cool before using on the pizza. May be made ahead of time. Enough sauce for two 16" pizzas. If only making one pizza, save the rest for pasta, or freeze leftover sauce in a zip-lock baggie for future use. While the dough is rising, build a lively fire in a covered BBQ grill-- such as a Weber Grill, fitted with a vented lid. When the coals are white-- in about 30-40 minutes-- push them to the sides for the indirect method. If you're not using a grill, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Although commercial pizza ovens are hotter, for home ovens, this is the best temperature, If you use a higher heat, they tend to scorch the pizza before it's cooked through. 8 oz. grated mozzarella 1 pkg. sliced pepperoni oregano basil parsley black pepper olive oil black olives (take pits out first) fresh basil, oregano, rosemary bits of goat cheese or ricotta slivers of red onion capers diced ham or cooked chicken Oil pizza pan and dust lightly with cornmeal. Stretch the dough to fit the pan, forming a lip around the edge. Top with sauce -- not too much -- it shouldn't be soupy or the pizza will be soggy in the middle. Top sauce with cheese, pepperoni, and herbs. Sprinkle with black pepper and small drops of olive oil, Cooking on the Grill: Using the indirect method, push coals to sides of grill. Place pizza, in its pan, on the grill. Cover, vents open, and let cook 5 minutes. Once the crust has firmed up, using a pizza peel, lift the pizza off the pan onto the grid. Continue cooking, covered, until the pizza crust is brown and the cheese is melted-- 10 minutes or so, depending on how hot your fire is. Check frequently to make sure pizza is cooking-- but not burning. (If desired, you can use a pizza stone. Place the pizza stone on the grid, with the pan on top of it. When crust is firm, lift it off the pan and onto the stone to complete baking. Cooking in the Oven: Place pizza in center of preheated 400 degree oven. Bake 15-20 minutes, until the edges are browned and the cheese is melted. Lift edge of pizza, and if crust is still white underneath, slide pizza off onto the oven rack. let bake an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the bottom is browned. Be careful not to burn the pie! Serve hot, cut in wedges. YIELD: One 16" pizza serves 3-4 people.