When Homemade Pizza > Store-bought Pizza

I once thought that pizza shouldn't be made at home and the only place that sells pizza is Pizza Hut. Well, my grandma used to make pizza for us at home, but it tasted like white sandwich bread with lots of toppings. Her pizza was good, if you can call it that, but lack the chewiness the usual pizza has. 

This pizza is the result of impulsive shopping on my part. The pepperonis pack was on sale, then next to it the mozzarella was on sale too. Then I remember there were few tomatoes in the crisper at home, waiting to be used. The light bulb in my head went 'ding!' then I rushed to meet my husband who was at the coffee aisle with our preschooler and told him "what if I make pizza again? Will you eat it?" He would wolfed down DiGiorno's frozen pizza, but he has this "meh" attitude towards the homemade pizza I make.... He said, yeah, he'll eat it this time. 

When he tasted the pizza today, he said it's delicious. Weird though, because the pizza I made today was no different than the ones I've made before. So I don't know why he didn't really like it last time. Men... they say women are complicated... this proves the opposite. LOL

The recipe for pizza dough (makes 2 12-inch pizza):

• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 1 package instant dried yeast
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp salt

Combine the instant dried yeast with the warm water in a mixing bowl. Add in the flour, olive oil and salt. Mix well with a wooden spoon (or with a mixer on low speed). Knead with the dough hook on medium for 15 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. 

Put in an oiled bowl, flip once to coat. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 1 hour. Divide into 2 portion. Let rest on the counter for 10 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 475F. Grease and cornmealed (is that even a word?) 2 baking sheets. 

Roll and stretch the dough into whatever shape pizza you like. Form lip around the edge by pinching it a bit. Dent the dough with fingers and brush with olive oil. 

 

I topped ours with homemade tomato sauce, pepperonis, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese

Top with whatever toppings you like... and bake for about 10-12 minutes. I like my pizza crusty and slightly burned so I bake them for about 15 minutes.

P.S: Any suggestion as to taking natural looking pics at night?