Mamma Mia!

There is always a time and place for frozen pizza, but when you have the time, going completely home made is the best route. Not only do you control all aspects of the pizza, but you are left with the satisfaction of having made something for yourself. There is nothing really special or tricky about making pizza dough. Really it is just bread dough...HOWEVER...I used olive oil to make this dough, not shortening. Actually, olive oil makes an excellent light dough. I had leftover dough after I made the crust, so I made those into buns. The olive oil does not really impart any special taste to the dough that I could notice. It is much healthier than shortening though. To prevent the dreaded underbaked center of the crust, I partially pre-baked the crust before adding toppings. Remember to prick the crust with a fork before pre-baking to prevent air bubbles!

The topping consists of lean turkey sausage, white onion, green pepper, tomato and spicy havarti cheese. And of course a bit of pizza sauce. A pizza needn't be slathered in cheese and overloaded with toppings. Good quality fresh toppings and a sprinkling of cheese on fresh crust is just perfect!

One note about shaping the crust: it must be done in stages in order to press it out into a round disk. Start with a ball of dough and begin by pressing it out with your fingers in a circle. When it seems to spring back and not go any farther, STOP. Step away from the dough. Go do something else such as wash the dishes. When you come back the gluten in the flour should have relaxed and you can stretch it further. It took me three tries before it was the size I wanted. But it pays to be patient and step back for a moment or two.

Overall it was a successful supper and a delightfully different one. I even got some buns out of the process!