Distracted by various activities (meal plan descriptions, image editing, social media posts and, frankly, this blog), it was after 6:30 pm before I thought about dinner. I recalled seeing an easy homemade pizza dough recipe. With just two ingredients, I couldn’t pass it up. The only issue: I didn’t have either ingredient (self-rising flour or Greek yogurt). No problem! I could make substitutions. That’s what kitchenlister is all about! Plus, I wanted to add whole wheat flour anyway.
How I Made Homemade Pizza
Starting with whole wheat pastry flour and regular yogurt (plus baking powder and salt), I mixed them together. Too wet. I added some white whole wheat flour, then some all-purpose, then some spelt flour (just to use it up). The pizza dough was coming together. Still too sticky, I added more all-purpose flour, then let it rest for 10 minutes. As I “rolled” out the pizza dough, I was feeling skeptical. It stuck to the rolling pin, and it tore… I gave up and gently patted the dough into the pan. While still tearing, I managed to get it spread out. Then, I drizzled on olive oil, and sprinkled it with minced garlic and dried oregano. Followed this up with layers of fresh tomato and summer squash. Finally, I gave the pizza generous grindings of salt and pepper before putting it in the oven.
About 10 – 15 minutes later, the pizza (I hesitate to call it that. Without the cheese, it felt more like flatbread) was done. I grated on some Parmesan and sprinkled fresh basil on top. It looked great but I was truly surprised how good it tasted. Even without tomato sauce or much cheese, it still satisfied those pizza cravings. So well, in fact, that I ate my pizza leftovers intended for the next day as a second helping.
How You Should Make Homemade Pizza
With only a little practice, homemade pizza is far better than any delivery. Only one restaurant in my neighborhood makes better pizza than I made; it has a wood-fired oven. While I don’t recommend you attempt the recipe in the same manner I did, I do recommend you try it. Unless you already know how to make pizza dough, you’re better off following the recipe for now. Start with Greek yogurt and all-purpose or self-rising flour. For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt.* You can also drain regular yogurt, but predicting the quantity will take some practice.
(Update: I have since found a pizza dough recipe that I like better. It does have four ingredients, including water and yeast, but it’s still last-minute. You can also replace the white flour with whole wheat to make a healthier crust.)
*Yes, I do realize I said to follow the recipe and then immediately gave you a self-rising flour substitute.
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The homemade pizza detailed in this post was one of my Week in Review meals for August 29–September 2, 2016.