There are so many versions to make and ways to prepare it but using my Authentic Pizza Sauce is a must!
Pizza has styles, and different tomato sauces, some are made with a rich garlic sauce called white pizza.
Margherita Pizza-style pizza has just slices of tomatoes fresh basil and cheese.
The list goes on and there are so many topping variations to choose from.
Pizza is pure Italian comfort food at its finest.
Create your own pizza in the flavors you like the best and also try our Deep Dish Muffin Tin Pizza it's easy and individual serving deep dish pizza!.
Remember recipes are basic to each Region in Italy, and many are totally different.
Enjoy this delicious pizza dough recipe, there is nothing like fresh pizza dough, and also try some of my hometown Utica, New York York-style recipes below!
Tomato Pie,Italian Greens Italian Lemon Ice,Pizza Fritta,Chicken Riggies,Manny's Cheesecake,Oscugnizzo Pizza,Pustiesand Rosato Chocolate Cookies.
Stroll down to the end to see the two recipes that we love the most.
Fresh Dough and Sauce
Mom and grandma always made fresh pizza dough, it's what I grew up on.
This simple recipe will change everything for how you feel about authentic-tasting pizza.
There are so many versions to make but the dough makes the difference.
Check out our easy recipes and pick the one you love, the dough is easy, the rest is by individual taste on what you top it with.
Modern-day people add chicken with buffalo sauce, ground-cooked beef with sharp cheddar, and numerous American changes.
We stick to our tried and true homemade sauce, whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated cheese, fresh basil, and maybe a little sausage and broccoli rabe for an Authentic Italian topping!
Buon Appetito!
Style of Pizza
- Neapolitan Pizza: Neapolitan pizza toppings are fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil leaves, oregano, and olive oil. Since Neapolitan pizza is thin, it isn't designed to handle the weight of too many toppings.
- Chicago Pizza: Referred to as a deep-dish pizza.
- New York-Style Pizza: N.Y. style characteristic is a large, foldable slice and has a crispy outer crust. New York-style pizza is one of America’s most famous regional pizza types.
- Sicilian Pizza: Sicilian pizza, also known as "sfincione," provides a thick cut of pizza with pillowy dough, a crunchy crust, and robust tomato sauce.
- Greek Pizza: Features of this one has a thick and chewy crust cooked in shallow, oiled pans, resulting in a nearly deep-fried bottom.
- California Pizza: This pizza got its start back in the late 1970s when Chef Ed LaDou began experimenting with pizza recipes in the classic Italian restaurant, Prego. He created a pizza with mustard, ricotta, pate, and red pepper, and by chance, served it to Wolfgang Puck.
- Detroit Pizza: Originally baked in a square automotive parts pan in the 1940s. Detroit pizza is first topped with pepperoni, followed by brick cheese which is spread to the very edges of the pan, producing a caramelized cheese perimeter.
- St. Louis Pizza: Features a thin crust with a cracker-like consistency that is made without yeast. Due to the crispy crust, St. Louis pizza is usually cut into three- or four-inch rectangles, known as "party" or "tavern" cut.
Pizza Dough by Hand or Mixer Tips
- kneading the pizza dough for no longer than 4 to 6 minutes by hand if you need the dough too long it becomes dense and like a bread texture rather than a light pizza crust plus it drys out faster
- when using a stand mixer, mix it for 2 minutes then proceed to knead it for an additional 3 minutes and a few turns with floured hands for 2 more minutes until smooth and elastic again don't overmix it
Topping Suggestions
- peppers
- olives
- diced eggplant
- pepperoni
- add fresh arugula
- sliced grape tomatoes with fresh basil
- use homemade or canned pizza sauce
- crushed meatballs finely chopped
- leftover cooked buffalo chicken and cheddar cheese
- loose cooked sausage
- ham, and pineapple
- mushrooms finely chopped broccoli and cheddar cheese
- finely chopped zucchini or spinach with ricotta and garlic
- minced finely minced shrimp and garlic
- anchovies
- loose cooked ground beef, cheddar cheese, finely chopped onions
- tuna, cheddar cheese, minced onions
- leftover cooked meats, pizza sauce, and cheese of choice
- although we prefer using freshly sliced deli cheese you can use whatever kind of cheese you prefer grated or sliced
- make half with garlic, butter, and mozzarella for white pizza and the other half with Homemade Pizza Sauce
Pizza Comes in All Shapes and Sizes
- round pan
- rectangular pan
- cupcake tins
- use a pizza stone
- thin-crust
- thick crust
- personal mini size in pie plates
- this dough can be used for stuffed pizzas, calzone, stromboli and whatever your recipe calls for when in need of a great pizza dough recipe!
Combination Suggestions:
Mix and match, Pizza Toppings
- Meats: Capicola, Italian cooked sliced sausage, pepperoni, or other cooked meats shredded like chicken, sliced meatballs, seafood, Italian cooked bacon, or whatever else you like some folks like ham
- Vegetables: Cooked and sauteed in garlic escarole, broccoli rabe, spinach can be raw, finely chopped onions, hot or sweet sliced peppers, mushrooms, black or green olives slices, sliced garlic
- Fruits: cubed pineapple and thinly sliced ham
- Seafood for Garlic White Pizza or Red Sauce: shrimp, scallops, shredded crab meat, anchovies
- Cheeses: whole milk mozzarella, fontina, Havarti, cheddar, jack, provolone, ricotta
- Fresh or Dried Herbs: basil, oregano, parsley, or other kinds you like cilantro, dill, etc.
Dough Ideas
Pizza Fritta ( fried dough)
Garlic Knots
Panzerotti (fried inside-out pizza)
Runza (German Russian meat pies)
Italian Stromboli
For Garlic Pizza see the recipe card below
Shopping List to Make Homemade Pizza Dough:
scroll down to the recipe card for the exact ingredients
- all-purpose
- dry yeast dissolved in 2 cups lukewarm
- salt
- sugar
- olive oil
- Other pizza toppings can include: Italian sliced sausage, capicola, anchovies, peppers, pepperoni, eggplant, mushrooms, meatballs, olives, anchovies, sliced tomatoes, zucchini, cooked chicken, any kinds of seafood, lots of garlic, olive oil, parmesan and romano cheeses, any kinds of shredded whole milk cheeses
Tools You Will Need
- Pizza Pans sound or rectangular
- Cookie Sheets for making stromboli
- Rolling board
- Rolling pin
- Measuring cups, spoons
- Mixer or do it by hand
- Large spoon
- Pizza stone with a pizza shovel is preferred
- Pizza cutting tool I like using pizza scissors
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More Recipes We Love
White Pizza Bianca
Chicago Style and Grilled Pizza
Upside Down Pizza
Panzerotti Pizza
Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Pizza from Simple To Gourmet
Pizza is one of the most loved foods in the world and is made in so many different ways.
Make any style you like homemade is the best no matter where you go, fresh is best.
Pizza Dough Recipes
Yield: 8
Prep time: 1 H & 35 MCook time: 45 MTotal time: 1 H & 80 M
This is an Italian pizza dough recipe for all your pizza making needs including bread. This is great for frying, pizza, Stromboli, garlic knots, and much more.
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pkg dry yeast dissolved in 2 cups lukewarm
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Other toppings can include, Italian sliced sausage, capicola, anchovies, peppers, pepperoni, eggplant, mushrooms, meatballs, olives, anchovies, sliced tomatoes, zucchini, cooked chicken, any kinds of seafood, lots of garlic, olive oil, parmesan and romano cheeses, any kinds of shredded whole milk cheeses,
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl add the yeast and warm water in the bowl, let sit for 1 minute in the bowl. ( the water should be just warm on your wrist not hot)
- Add the salt, sugar, and oil and stir.
- Add one cup of flour and blend it all together.
- Next, add the rest of the flour until it forms a ball (should be 3 1/2 cups that is left) add more or less if too sticky 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough shouldn't be dry.
- Rise in a bowl covered with a wet towel, until doubled in size in a warm spot, away from drafts.
- Stretch out on a large cookie sheet.
- Brush top with olive oil, top with tomato sauce, cheese, and any other meat toppings of choice suggestions below.
- Options: sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, peppers, olives, (ham, pineapple),( spinach, broccoli, ricotta, garlic ), sliced tomatoes and feta cheese, or any combo of cheese you like.
- Bake until crisp and brown on 430 degrees, keep checking for desired crispiness.
- For the Sausage Roll Recipe or:
- Stromboli and Calzones
- 1 lb of fresh pizza/ bread dough
- 1 1/2 lbs of Italian sausage cooked and casing off cooled
- 4 eggs raw or in some Regions substitute raw for chopped boiled eggs is another option, one more way is to omit the eggs and use just cheese and sausage for the filling
- 2 cups of mozzarella
- 4 tablespoons of grated cheese or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Mix sausage, eggs, spices, and cheeses in a bowl set in the refrigerator. Roll out dough about 1/4 inch thickness into approximately 12 x 12 rectangular.
- Spread mixture over the dough, roll up and place seam down on a cookie sheet, place in a warm area, to rise around an hour.
- Brush tops with egg whites or beaten eggs.
- Bake at 450 for 10 minutes and lower to 375 degrees for the remaining time.
- The sausage roll is done when crispy and brown.
- Slice and enjoy.
- You can make individual mini ones as well using a handful of dough for each one.
- Variations: In a bowl mix mozzarella cheese, grated cheese, and spices along with any combo below. Bake them at 400 degrees on a greased cookie sheet.
- Adding the ricotta cheese in the middle of the dough is called a Calzone. Use around 2 tablespoons in the middle of the dough with the seasoned mozzarella. Fold over, crimp and bake.
- Stromboli is adding meats, peppers, mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, black or green olives, onions, mortadella, salami prosciutto in the center with mozzarella seasoned, fold over crimp and bake.
- Note: If using vegetables saute' vegetables with sausage and drain (always cook raw meats).
- You can also add Ricotta cheese, fresh chopped parsley, basil, chopped tomato, fresh garlic chopped, greens like spinach or escarole. Combinations are endless.
- You can also add ham and mozzarella, ricotta with grated cheese into the dough to make a cheese and adding meat becomes a stromboli.
- Lastly, you can make round donut shapes out of your dough and fry this dough for pizza fritta in cooking vegetable oil.
- Garlic Pizza
- 1 pound of pizza dough stretch out in a pizza pan or any sheet pan
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- 2 cloves finely minced garlic
- Whole milk mozzarella sliced cheese, provolone sliced,
- Fresh chopped parsley and basil
- Dried oregano
- Options see below:
- First, brush the entire top of the dough with the oil and melted butter
- Sprinkle evenly with oregano, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper
- Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan and Romano grated cheese
- Top generously with mozzarella sliced or shredded along with provolone sliced cheese and bake in a hot oven of 430 degrees preheated hot oven and bake until browned.
- Note: add sesame seeds on top, mixed herbs, grated cheese and drizzle with olive oil before baking
- Suggestions: Thinly sliced beefsteak tomatoes then topped with cheese, or 1/2 cup of whole milk ricotta cheese mixed with 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, place random spoonfuls over the pizza before topping with mozzarella cheese.
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Recipes We Love
Copycat Oscugnizzo Pizza
Eggplant Pizza
Meatball Pizza
Zucchini Pizza Crust
Authentic Pizza Sauce
February 9th is National Pizza Day!
Tomato Pie,Italian Greens Italian Lemon Ice,Pizza Fritta,Chicken Riggies,Manny's Cheesecake,Oscugnizzo Pizza,Pustiesand Rosato Chocolate Cookies.
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2009. It was edited and re-published in 2018.