Christmas Pizza:
It’s easiest to buy the dough from a pizza shop- but you can make this ahead
with a food processor and keep it in the frig or freeze it. We make our own pizzas for Christmas Eve and there are always some leftovers for lunches later.
For the dough: (this makes two regular size pizzas)
~Heat 1 cup water and 2 tbls shortening just until shortening melts- cool
until tepid-
~Process 1 1/2cups flour with 2 tbls sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 1 package dry active
yeast to mix.
~With motor running, pour shortening mixture slowly through the feed tube.
Add 1 egg and mix for 2 seconds- sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of flour over and
process until dough forms a ball.
~Turn dough out onto a board sprinkled with 1/4 cup flour and knead until flour is
absorbed and dough is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes)
~It’s good to let the dough rest if you have time (rub olive oil over dough) - but it’s also ok to just go for it and divide it into balls at this point and
stretch and roll it out to a personal pizza size crust. Sprinkle some corn meal on a pizza pan or cookie sheet- brush the dough with olive oil and
get ready to make your pizza!
For the sauce:
~Sauté in 2 tbls of olive oil- 1 lg onion chopped fine, 2 minced clove garlic
until golden and fragrent. (5 –10 mins)
~Remove from heat and stir in 2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste, 1 tsp salt,
1/2 tsp each (or to taste) dried marjoram, thyme, oregano and basil leaves.
This is enough for 2 big pizzas- it’s easy to double, and I also use it as a
good starting point if I want a spaghetti sauce*
To make the pizzas- heat the oven to 500 – they take about 15-20 mins to cook.
This is the fun part- just brush with olive oil and spread with sauce or
pesto or a combination and add whatever you like. I usually have tomatoes,
different cheeses, mushrooms, pepperoni, salami, dried tomatoes,
marinated artichoke hearts, onions, olives….the hard part is organizing the
cooking- we could usually do 2 to a cookie sheet – so about 4 at once.
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