MAMA MIA! Birthday Pizza for Scott (continued)

oops - here is the rest . . . . .

luckily, Connie picked a perfect melon!

the pepperoni pie before it went into the oven . . .

(a picture worth repeating)

here is the artiste at work!

here is some of the raw ingredients for the dough - flour, natch . . . .

but also cornmeal!

This is the finished rolled out thin crust pizza dough!

here are the ingredients for the pesto: pine nuts, minced garlic, olive oil, fresh basil (out of our garden), and parmesan cheese. Don't forget a pinch of salt and /or pepper.

spread the pesto onto the dough . . . be a bit more generous than this!!

. . . add grated cheese . . .

then the chicken is placed on the pizza . . .

the pizza is removed from the preparation pan onto the pizza stone that has been warming in the oven. Cornmeal helps the pizza to slide off the metal sheet onto the stone (this time it did not work! cornmeal seems to have 'stuck' to the dough).

this is the cooked pizza coming out of the oven . . .

sometimes the best way to cut a pizza is with kitchen scissors!

Bon appetit!

for the recipe to make the dough:

Pizza Dough

15-20 minutes at 425 degrees (watch)

1½ cups warm water

1 package yeast

4 teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon honey

Mix first 4 ingredients in blender, then let sit for 30 minutes (15 minutes on warm days)

4 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

add last two ingredients to yeast mixture.

Knead for 10 minutes.

Let rise for 45 minutes until doubled.

Punch down.

Divide in 2.

Dough is sticky (no oil), keep hands wet, spray pan with PAM.

Spread dough to edges of pan,

Add toppings.

Dough can be prepared and frozen for 2 months. Thaw at room temperature

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or check this out RECIPE