PIZZA SUNDAY

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My youngest is 21, and well before her birth, our family started to make pizzas for Sunday lunches. The kids would knead the dough, smooth it to the likes of a babys' bottom, stick their finger in the dough to watch the dimple retract, and pinch a piece to eat raw. This latter action was a peculiar habit that they picked up from their paternal grandmother.
The toppings were rarely the same. We used left-overs, a variety of vegetables, several different sauces, meats and fish. Bits and pieces of left-over cheeses were incorporated, as well. Our creativity had no bounds.
The crust was always thin, a mixture of unbleached, whole wheat and semolina flours.
Many kids and friends, who shared in our Sunday afternoons, went on to persue their own pizza creations.
One such Sunday, a few weeks ago, Jennifer, soon to marry into our ever growing family, arrived in pursuit of a pizza lesson. She scribbled, kneaded and baked, as we clicked our camera to record the beginning of another Pizza Sunday.
Congratulation Jennifer and Ben!

RECIPE
THE DOUGH
Makes 1 12" Pizza

1/3 cup unbleached flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup semolina flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugat
2 teaspoons yeast

Preheat oven to the hottest possible temperature, (450-500).
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and allow to mix fo 30 seconds. Now slowly add warm water until a dough begins to form. Place dough on a lightly floured board and knead until a sft smooth ball develops. Let the dough rest, covered with a towel, for 30 minutes. Roll out to a cic, rle or whatever shape that you choose, place on a baking sheet or pizza pan, top with sauce, vegetables, meats and cheeses of your choosing, and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the bottom of the crust is firm.  


A SIMPLE PIZZA SAUCE

 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon crushed red chillies
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste 

 Place a ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Keep unused sauce in the refrigerator for the week, or freeze in batches, for other uses.
In the summer months use fresh herbs from the garden.

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