Learn How To Create Mouthwatering Italian Style Pizza With This Step by Step Guide

To make Italian-style pizza at home, prepare a dough with flour, yeast, water, salt, sugar, and olive oil, and let it rise. Create a tomato sauce with crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Assemble the pizza with sauce, mozzarella, and toppings, then bake in a preheated oven until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.

Making Italian-style pizza at home involves creating a dough from flour, water, yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil, allowing it to rise. Prepare a tomato sauce with crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Preheat the oven to 500 F with a pizza stone if available. Shape the risen dough into circles, spread with sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella, and add toppings. Bake for 8-12 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese bubbly. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh basil leaves before serving.

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (110 F/45 C)
• 1 packet (7g) active dry yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp olive oil

For the Tomato Sauce

• 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Toppings:

• 2 cups (200g) shredded mozzarella cheese
• Fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil for drizzlingAny additional toppings (e.g., pepperoni, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, olives)

Instructions:

Making the Dough:

1. Activate the Yeast:

• In a small bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.

2. Prepare the Dough:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and olive oil.
• Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until the dough begins to come together.

3. Knead the Dough:

• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour as needed.

4. Let the Dough Rise:

• Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Making the Tomato Sauce:

5. Prepare the Sauce:

• In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and saut until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preparing and Baking the Pizza:

6. Preheat the Oven:

• Preheat your oven to the highest temperature (usually around 500 F/260 C) for at least 30 minutes. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while preheating.

7. Shape the Dough:

• Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 2-3 equal parts, depending on the desired pizza size.
• On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll out each dough portion into a thin circle, about 12 inches in diameter.

8. Assemble the Pizza:

• Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper or a pizza peel if using a pizza stone.
• Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
• Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.
• Add any additional toppings of your choice.

9. Bake the Pizza:

• Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or place it on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

10. Finish and Serve:

• Remove the pizza from the oven and drizzle with a little olive oil.
• Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
• Slice and serve immediately.

By following these detailed steps, you can create a delicious, authentic Italian-style pizza at home, complete with a crispy crust, flavorful tomato sauce, and your favorite toppings.