Homemade Pizza with Fresh Dough and Sauce

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 2 cups warm water
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• ½ cup oil
• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons powdered milk
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Pizza Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 5 tomatoes, diced
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 2 tablespoons ketchup

For the Toppings:

• Olives, sliced
• Bell peppers, diced
• Sausage, sliced
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of warm water, 4 tablespoons of sugar, ½ cup of oil, and 2 tablespoons of yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
2. Gradually add 6 cups of flour, 3 tablespoons of powdered milk, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the yeast mixture.
3. Mix the ingredients until a soft, smooth dough forms. Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes until it’s elastic and no longer sticky.
4. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.

Step 2: Prepare the Pizza Sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.
2. Add the finely chopped onion and minced garlic, and sauté until softened.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of thyme. Let the tomatoes cook down for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of ketchup for a slight sweetness and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Assemble the Pizzas

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C (430°F).
2. Once the dough has risen, divide it into smaller portions to create personal-sized pizzas or leave it as a whole for larger pizzas.
3. Roll each dough portion into rounds on a floured surface.
4. Spread a generous layer of the prepared pizza sauce over each dough round.
5. Top with sliced olives, diced bell peppers, sliced sausage, and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Step 4: Bake the Pizzas

1. Place the assembled pizzas on a baking sheet or pizza stone and bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden.
2. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing.

Tips for Extra Pizzas

• Freezing: Make extra pizzas and freeze them unbaked. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Bake from frozen at 220°C (430°F) for 15-18 minutes.

Enjoy these delicious homemade pizzas!