The first and only time I made pizza from scratch was when I went for cooking classes at Palate Sensations. It was amazing (especially because I didn't partially burn it then) and since then I stopped buying pizza base. What that also meant is, I didn't make pizza at home for ages.
But its super easy. Remember those garlic rolls that all of you loved and tried at home? Trust me when I say this is not even half as hard. With me? Ok here goes.
Gouda Cheese Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Active Dry or Instant Yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cups extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Sprinkle yeast over 1 ½ cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
- In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. You can definitely do the mixing by hand, just knead gently, no need to waste too much energy.
- Next, pour in yeast-water mixture and mix until just combined.
- Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 2
According to PW, it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better. I kept it in the fridge for exactly 25 hours.
Here's how it looks after 24 hours or so. Slightly risen and quite airy.
Transfer half the dough to a floured surface. Lift and rotate the dough into a circle or rectangle, letting gravity do its job extending the dough on all sides. My dough didn't seem too elastic though and I was a bit worried. But it turned out perfect in the end.
- I got mine this time from the US - yay!!) and shape further using your fingertips to the right thickness you desire. I kept it neither too thick nor too thin. 
Oh btw, I decided to make a face at convention and used Gouda cheese in my pizza. You should do it too. Its not as elastic or chewy but has a lovely flavour and gives more depth to the pizza, making it taste gourmet. Or something like that. Try it.
The tomatoes and mushroom were followed by the freshly grated Gouda cheese and lovely, gorgeous, fresh basil leaves from my own herb 'garden'. I was so proud!
Bake in a 500F / 260C oven (or as high as your oven goes) for about 10-15 mins (until the crust turns brown and the cheese bubbles up nicely). I slightly burnt one side of my pizza because I had a guest and was talking to him. That also explains the very hastily taken last pic!
Loved this challenge, love pizza from scratch - actually love anything with cheese.
The end.
Prathibha
love this one a lot...looks yummm
Rajani@eatwritethink
so what if the pizza looks a tad dark around the edges... point is its homemade!!! love homemade pizzas anyday.
Arch
Yum !! homemade pizzas are always so much more awesome !! I was at your blog yesterday when you commented on mine !! I was here to check you entry for Sweet Punch !!
Raji
This is so tempting...you have made home made pizza sound really easy...
sangeeta
Gourmet it is . I have never tried gouda cheese but i like fresh ingredients for my pizza , thin crust 🙂
I was planning to make a pizza post too and looking at this i am all the more tempted 🙂
Mea Culpa
Absolute wonderfulness. And not sinful either!
Nags
It was exactly like that Lataji 🙂
Seema Kamath alias Seema Abbas Ali
Nags,
Your pizza simply looks purrrfect! Lovely clicks. Liked the way you kept the toppings very simple. The outcome is droolworthy. Never tried gouda cheese yet.
Regards,
Seema
amchi-bong-konnexion.blogspot.com
seemabbas.blogspot.com
Sharmilee! :)
Perfect pizza and yummy clicks
RAKS KITCHEN
Yummy pizza,will look for the cheese,sounds yummy! 🙂 Using less yeast and keeping for more time sounds nice idea,hav to try that too!