MomTalk.com August 28, 2008: The women's magazine for moms about children, family, health, home, fashion, careers, marriage & more

Pizzeria-Style Pizza from Your Oven

By Telly Scotchmeyer

Nothing is quite as good as a hot, cheesy pizza pie -- especially when you and your kids make it yourself! Follow our pointers to make take-out style pizza right in your own oven. (Pile on the toppings!) Once you've got the hang of it, try planning a pizza-making party for the kids. If the kids are young (3-7), you might want to prepare the dough and sauce and toppings in advance. Older kids (8-12) will probably like to do the whole thing from scratch.

Here is a recipe for homemade pizza dough and sauce:

PIZZA DOUGH:

What You Need:

* 5 cups unbleached flour
* 2 packets yeast
* 1 teaspoon salt plus a big pinch of sugar
* 2 cups warm water(bath temperature)
* 2 teaspoons olive oil

What to Do:

1. Put the flour in a mound on your counter, board or in a large bowl and make a well in the middle.

2. Pour the yeast, salt, and sugar into the well. Add just a bit of warm water and start stirring with a fork. As the water and flour mix, and a paste starts to form, add more water. Keep on stirring and adding water to the paste until all the water is used (it will be messy).

3. Take turns kneading the dough with your hands for about 15 minutes. The dough should be smooth and soft. When it starts to stick to your hands or the board, add flour. Shape into a ball.

4. Put 2 teaspoons of olive oil into a large bowl and turn dough ball around in the bowl to coat with a thin film of oil. Cover with a damp dishtowel and place in a warm place (an unheated oven is a good place for rising) until the dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

While the dough is rising, start the sauce.
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