A Non-Celebrity Endorsment

Have you ever used something in the kitchen that you were just SURE would be a total gimmick and never ever do what it claimed it would? (That was a total rhetorical question... of course you have! Everybody has!) The better question is- Did it work? Odds are-No. Yet the handful that do work keep us going back to the kitchen tool aisle to see what else might work.

Now, I did not want to try out this pizza pan. I had been using a cookie sheet for a long time to bake pizzas and they always turned out the same- taste great but the crust was always just a little doughy. John was the one who decided that we needed this pan. You know, one with all the holes in the bottom. And the dumb thing works. It makes pizza that is, the only way to describe it, AWESOME. Crispy crust, well done cheese, and a perfectly even cook. Worth every little pink penny.

So, go get one! And then make this crust and top it with all of your favorite ingredients. Then, open the drawer full of take out menus and throw away the pizza place ones. You won't need them any more. Promise.

From one non-celebrity to another,

 Stacey


Basic Pizza Crust

1 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
4 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1/3 Cup Olive Oil

Method
Dissolve yeast in 1 1/2 cups warm water. While that is sitting, mix flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. With the dough hook attachment on your mixer, slowly blend in the olive oil. Dough will be very crumbly at this point. Finally, mix in the water and yeast. Dough should form into a large ball.
Drizzle a small amount of olive oil into a clean mixing bowl and put in dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
*Makes enough for 2 pizzas. The dough will keep for up to 6 days in the refrigerator.

*If you want to make pizza immediatly, do not cover and refrigerate. Lightly flour your countertop and kneed for 10 minutes. Split dough in half and refrigerate what you don't use for the next time!