Traditional Homemade Pizza

Experience the authentic taste of a homemade pizza with a handcrafted crust, a flavorful sauce, and delicious toppings of browned Italian sausage and pepperoni. Enhanced with a kick of crushed red pepper and hot sauce sprinkled over the top, this recipe is a cherished family tradition that you'll want to introduce to your own kitchen.

Ingredients

2	(.25 ounce) packages fast-rising dry yeast
1	teaspoon white sugar
2 ½	warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C), divided
⅓	cup olive oil
1	tablespoon salt
1	pinch garlic powder, or to taste
5	all-purpose flour, or more if needed
2	tablespoons butter, melted
1	tablespoon dried oregano, or to taste (Optional)
2	tablespoons ricotta cheese (Optional)
1	(29 ounce) can tomato puree (such as Contadina® Tomato Puree)
1	teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
1	pinch garlic powder, or to taste
1	teaspoon salt, or to taste
1	teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1	teaspoon white sugar, or to taste
1 ½	teaspoons olive oil, divided
3	Italian sausage links, casings removed
1	pinch dried oregano, or to taste (Optional)
1	pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste (Optional)
1 ½	teaspoons melted butter, divided
1	cup shredded pizza cheese blend, or as needed
24	slices pepperoni sausage, or as needed
¾	teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or as needed
3	dashes Louisiana-style hot sauce, or to taste

Instructions

• 1. In a large bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Allow the mixture to rest until the yeast becomes frothy, about 15 minutes. Stir in more warm water, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and flour to form a loose batter. Gradually add more flour until the dough is slightly sticky but manageable.
  2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, approximately 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, around 30 minutes.
  3. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and infuse it with oregano. Incorporate ricotta cheese to form a smooth paste. Add tomato puree, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and sugar to create a flavorful sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, and set aside.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and coat 3 12-inch pizza pans with olive oil.
  5. Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat with oregano and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired, until browned and no longer pink. Set aside.
  6. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces, roll out each piece to fit a pizza pan, and create a thicker edge. Bake the crusts for 15 minutes, then brush with melted butter.
  7. Spread sauce over each crust, add cheese, sausage, pepperoni, crushed red pepper, and hot sauce. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.

Jul 19, 2024