My husband and I have a Thursday night tradition. Regardless of how busy we are, we set aside the night for just the two of us; we have pizza (most of the time it’s homemade), wine, and watch some of our favorite shows from the week. It’s something I look forward to every week and I wanted to share it with you all.
Pizza Dough
Homemade pizza dough may seem like a lot of work, but I promise it’s not as overwhelming as it sounds – and believe me, it’s worth it! The recipe below is for a thin crust pizza and by far the best one I’ve tried!
In the bowl of your mixer, add 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using the paddle attachment, mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup very warm water and 3/4 tablespoon olive oil. While the mixer is running, slowly add the water and oil to the flour mixture. Add 1/2 cup flour and mix until incorporated.
Change to the dough hook and let it do its thing for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Note: if you don’t have a mixer, knead by hand until the smooth consistency is reached.
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit in a warm area for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
Since I typically make up my dough the night before, I wrap it in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge overnight. Then I let it sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before I roll it out.
Pizza Prep
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until you achieve the desired shape and thickness. Place on a greased pizza pan and top with your favorite toppings.
Bake for 8-10 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Let the pizza sit for a few minutes, then cut into slices using a pizza cutter. I really like our pizza cutter wheel because it’s easy to hold onto and it’s very easy to clean!
Wine Pairing
If you’re looking for a good wine to pair with your pizza, I’d recommend a Syrah (Shiraz) or a Zinfandel. They both compliment tomato based sauces well and won’t overpower the pizza.
Another fun idea is to use this opportunity to do a wine tasting; follow along with my wine tasting guidelines and take some notes on what you discover!
I toured David Fulton in Napa last fall and thought their Petite Sirah was fantastic. My favorite was the 2007 vintage; I still have a bottle at home that I’m saving for a special occasion! If you’re more into Zinfandel, I’d suggest trying a bottle by Ravenswood or Cline. Both are reasonably priced and taste great with pizza.