Pizza, Pizza!

I made some homemade pizzas the other day.  The sauce was a cinch and the dough easy too.  I used two different cheeses - a creamy garlic havarti and a smoked gouda.  Of the five pizzas made, they varied in cheese (some had one or the other, others had both) and toppings (pepperoni, sauteed spinach, mushrooms, black olives, garlic). 

Adolfo's favorite pizza is pepperoni, black olives and mushrooms.  Why?  No clue.  I'm partial to spinach and mushrooms.  Oh, and don't forget the garlic.  I also am a fan of pepperoni, so I guess ultimately it's a win-win mixture for us both.

The sauce is a no-cook recipe.  You basically mix a can of tomato paste with 1.5 C of water and season it how you like.  I put in a few cloves of chopped garlic and tons of italian seasonings.  Sometimes I will use a mix, other times it's my own mix of basil, oregano, parsley and red pepper flakes.  Once you let the sauce sit for an hour, or several, the flavors mix in together and turn out delicious.  This makes enough sauce to do 5 homemade rustic-style pizzas or two extra-large round pizzas.

I always add fresh herbs and/or seasonings to my dough.  Not only is it prettier to see the colors baked into the dough, but it makes the crust a whole different experience.  I'm partial to thin crusts (see my handy work below).  Adolfo prefers deep dish, but that just isn't my thing at home.  For that, we go out for pizza. :)

Now that is a thin crust.  Yum!

The last thing I love about home-made pizza is that I shape the dough in a very rustic, non-conforming shape.  It's more like an oval that got into an accident.  Sometimes there are extra areas that bump out.  Sure, it's tough to roll a round dough.  I think it's less frustrating my way.  Plus, you can't deny they are homemade - no restaurant would sell these wacky-shaped pizzas.  At least I don't think they would. :)

Thanks for reading!