Gratifying Veggie Pizza

With more time on our hands, and being at home for the majority of the day, (FYI I wrote this during Coronatine: Corona quarantine) we have been striving to become more creative and put more time into creating our meals. I am pretty sure that now pizza making has become my family's new Friday tradition. This recipe does take some time as you need to make the dough and let it rise, but it is a great activity to do with your family or friends or whoever your with. Added bonus... your house will smell AMAZING afterwards.

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 - 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 packet yeast ( 2 1/4 tsp)

• 1 1/2 tsp sugar

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder and/or dried basil leaves (optional)

• 2 tbsp olive oil (+ any additional)

• 3/4 cup warm water (not too hot or it will kill the yeast, warm tap water works fine)

Toppings Ideas

• Arugula

• Sliced Tomatoes

• Broccoli

• Sliced kalamata Olives

• 1 minced garlic clove (sautéd in pan)

• Onion (raw or sautéd in pan)

• Olive oil (be fancy with infused olive oil)

• Vegan cheese

• Tomato sauce

• Vegan pesto

• Balsamic Vinegar (nice touch when in the mood)

Method

1. In a large bowl combine 1 cup of flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, and dried basil and/or garlic powder if desired.

2. Add olive oil and warm water, stirring well with a wooden spoon.

3. Gradually add another 1 cup of flour, and any additional flour as needed. Stir until the dough forms into a cohesive, elastic ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will still be sticky but you should still be able to use your hands.

4. Drizzle a separate, large bowl generously with olive oil and use a pastry brush to brush the oil up the sides of the bowl.

5. Lightly dust your hands with flour and roll your pizza dough into a ball. Transfer the dough ball into you olive oil-brushed bowl. Use your hands to roll the dough in the bowl until it is coated in olive oil.

6. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm place.

7. Allow the dough to rise until it doubles in side, about 30 minutes.

8. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (215 degrees C).

9. Use your hands to gently deflate the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Knead briefly until smooth, about 3-4 times.

10. Use your hands or a rolling pin to work the dough into a 12 inch circle or multiple circles (for multiple pizzas).

11. Transfer the dough to a parchment paper lined pizza pan. Pinch or fold the edges to form a crust.

12. Drizzle additional olive oil (about a tbsp) over the top of the pizza and use your pastry brush to brush the entire surface of the pizza (including the crust) with olive oil.

13. Use a fork to poke holes all over the center of the pizza to keep the dough from bubbling up in the oven.

14. Add toppings and bake in oven for 13-15 minutes or until toppings are golden brown.

15. Slice and enjoy!

Personal Notes and Tips

• I once had the best pizza ever, and guess what, it had little pieces of sliced dates on it! I thought the dates did an absolutely delightful job of contrasting the savory pizza. I have never tried this at home but I really want to! So if you love sweet and salty, take a risk and add some small slices of dates, you might just love it!

• The dough recipe makes enough for 1 10-12 inch pizza, but we you can separate it into smaller personal pizzas (which is what we do in my family because we all like different toppings).

• I highly recommend adding the dried basil leaves or garlic powder to your dough!

• I prefer my pizza with no red sauce or cheese, just a ton of veggies and some olive oil. If you haven't tried it like this, certainly I would say give it a try.

Feel free to post your pizza masterpiece on Instagram and tag me! 😊 @naturallynyla