daf_and_zmos_pan_pizza_from_scratch dafremen (A tribute to Garcia's Pizza In a Pan) Our son Zmo and I decided to invent our own pizza from scratch, starting with flour, water and yeast..tomato sauce and spices. After much work, we believe we've got the recipe fairly well perfected. This recipe is the result of about 3 months of experimentation and the baking of approximately 25 pizzas. When prepared properly, it produces a Midwest Style pan pizza. That is: thick bready crust, loads of sauce and cheese. The taste of the crust is sweet and faintly reminiscent of cornbread. This pizza is guaranteed to please most pizza aficionados. In order to reduce costs, we use canned ingredients wherever possible. Fresher ingredients will produce a better result. DOUGH INGREDIENTS (Makes one full size 9 x 13 or 12 x 12 inch pan pizza): 2 1/2 Cups Flour (Hi Gluten Flour or General Purpose with Vital Gluten added NOTE: If adding Vital Gluten to General Purpose Flour, use 2 Tsp for this recipe. Vital gluten can be found in most baking ingredients sections of grocery stores.) 3 Tsp. Sweetener (Sugar, Honey or Other) 1 Cup Warm Water (97 - 110 F) 1/2 Cup Melted Margarine 2 Pkg. Rapid Rise/Quick Rise/Perfect Rise Yeast 3/4 Tsp. Garlic Powder 3/4 Cup Cornmeal 2 Tsp. Parmesan 1/2 Tsp. Salt SAUCE INGREDIENTS (Makes one full size 9 x 13 inch or 12 x 12 inch pan pizza ): 3 Tsp. Onion Powder (Or other Sweet spice, Minced dried carrot might work) 3 Tsp. Sweetener (Sugar, Honey or Other) 1 14 oz Can Peeled Whole Tomatoes 1 8 oz Can Tomato Sauce 1 Tsp. Black Pepper 1 1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder 1 Crushed Basil Leaf 1 Tsp. Oregano 3 Tsp. Parmesan 1/2 Tsp. Salt OTHER INGREDIENTS: 12 - 16 oz. Shredded Mozzarella cheese Your favorite toppings You'll want a large mixing bowl, a smaller mixing bowl and if you have a Mixer with dough attachments..lucky you =) You might want some extra bowls for allowing the dough to rise. DOUGH PREPARATION: 1. In a small mixing bowl, empty (2) two packets of Yeast 2. Add 1 Cup of water at approx. 100 degrees Fahrenheit (just starting to get hot to the touch) 3. Let this mixture sit for approximately 3 minutes, until the yeast become active. 4. While yeast is activating, measure all other dough ingredients into the larger mixing bowl. (Margarine, Sweetener, Flour, Garlic, Parmesan, Cornmeal and Salt) 5. Add the yeast/water and mix until dough is firm enough to knead without it sticking all over your hands. 6. Add Mixer's dough hook attachment OR get your hands ready and start kneading.. 7. Dough should be sticky without leaving any on your hands. a) If it's not sticky enough, add melted margarine a half teaspoon at a time until it's right. b) If it's too sticky, add Flour a half/teaspoon at a time until it's right. 8. Knead by hand for 20 minutes or 10 minutes in a mixer. 9. Form the dough into a ball. 11. Coat the bottom of the (washed) smaller mixing bowl with a little oil to avoid sticking (we use margarine or cooking spray) and place the dough in it, covering the bowl with foil or another bowl if one can be made to fit. 12. Heat an oven at 300 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn off. Place covered dough ball in this for 10 minutes. Turn oven on again occasionally to maintain an even temperature (not too hot...like sauna temperatures) 13. Repeat this cycle for approximately 30 minutes so that dough rises sufficiently. SAUCE PREPARATION: 1. Mix all ingredients except Parmesan, add spices to your liking. Thickness is important. If sauce is thick enough, add Parmesan. Otherwise, simmer on stove top to reduce if juice from canned tomatoes make the sauce too thin. Allow to cool afterward, then add the Parmesan. 2. Cut the whole tomatoes into chunks to your liking. We like to cut up the whole tomatoes with butcher's shears or scissors. A lot easier than dicing them with a knife. FINAL PREPARATION: 1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a pizza stone, this is the time to place it in the oven. The rack should be about 2/3 down in an electric range. I'm not sure about gas ovens. If you don't have a pizza stone, turning a baking sheet upside down will work. It helps to transfer heat evenly and crisp up the crust. 2. Grease your pizza pan (not the upside down baking sheet) with oil, margarine or canola cooking spray whatever keeps it from sticking. (we're using margarine these days.) 3. Place a ball of dough in the center of the pan, and evenly spread the dough out. We've been using a rolling pin. Don't stretch it out, press it out. Leave a 1/2 inch or higher raised rim around the edge to hold toppings and cheese. 4. Brush margarine onto the top of the pizza dough, to help the dough cook better under the sauce. 5. Add a thin layer of sauce..or thick as you please. We pour it all in. The cheese firms it up. 6. Add loads of Mozzarella cheese and top with your favorites. Also try putting toppings under and on top of the sauce. Double pepperoni this way..is pretty good. 7. Place pizza pan on top of your pizza stone or upside down baking sheet. (If you don't like your cheese well done, cover the pan with foil.) 8. Cook for 25 - 30 minutes. When cheese is browning..pizza is almost ready. If crust is also a nice brown..it's probably time to pull it. 9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 - 7 minutes so the cheese can solidify a little and the pizza can be cut neatly. 10. Enjoy. Favorite standard ingredients: Mushroom, black olive and Italian sausage(we use turkey sausage) Favorite gourmet ingredients: diced Teriyaki shrimp, crumbled blue cheese and diced asparagus 080530 ... dafremen Baking a pie right now. Never tried this before: Fresh baby spinach Feta Cheese Imitation Crab Meat Mushrooms Man..I hope this is good.. I guess sometimes you've just gotta take_a_risk_and_keep_it. 080604 ... dafremen The breakfast of champions. (Yea..it rocked..) 080605 what's it to you? who go blather from