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Friday, June 12, 2009

15-minute pizza dough and gourmet pizza recipes


My husband thinks I'm quite the gourmet every time I make pizza. I know, it sounds too easy to be true, but a good pizza can make you you the goddess of your abode. But we're going to make it even easier with our favorite 15-minute easy pizza dough (courtesy of my mother-in-law--thanks, Jode!). Once you've got this recipe down, making deluxe pizzas will be a piece of pie!

15-Minute Pizza Dough Recipe

2 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup hot water (120-130°, use a candy thermometer for accuracy if you're not sure)
1 Tbsp. Rapid Rise or Bread Machine yeast
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 500°. Mix dry ingredients together. Add hot water and olive oil. Mix for five minutes (I use my Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook, but you could do this by hand, too). Let rest 10 minutes. Press dough on pizza pan, pizza stone, or jelly-roll pan. Bake at 500° for 3 minutes. Take out of the oven and cover with toppings. Return to the oven and bake 8-10 minutes more. Makes one large pizza (16-18 inches).

Told you it was easy. Now for some great toppings.

BBQ Pork Pizza Recipe

15-Minute Pizza Dough recipe
1 tub Lloyd's Hickory BBQ Pork (or similar prepared BBQ meat)
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped

While your dough is resting, caramelize your onions. Place sliced onion in a frying pan over medium heat. Add sugar and cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally. Your onions are ready when they become tender and a little sticky.


Heat your meat according to the package directions. After baking your dough for 3 minutes, cover the crust with the BBQ meat.


Cover the meat with mozzarella cheese. Using a fork, separate onions and spread over pizza. Sprinkle on cilantro.


Return to the 500° oven for 8-10 minutes. EAT!


Another quick and easy pizza we love is pesto and tomato. This is a great summer pizza, especially if you grow tomatoes and basil in your garden.

Tomato Pesto Pizza Recipe

15-Minute Pizza Dough
Pesto, your own or in a jar (we like the big jar at Costco--it makes lots of pizzas!)
2-3 sliced fresh tomatoes
Sliced fresh basil (I use about 8 big leaves)
2 c. mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)


After baking the dough for 3 minutes, cover the crust with pesto.


Add mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.


Bake for 8-10 minutes more. Enjoy!

This dough is also great for pizza parties. Make small pizzas and let everyone add their own classic toppings! Note: You'll probably want to shorten the baking time if you make smaller pizzas.

21 comments:

  1. Pizza gets me into trouble, yet it's a playmate I just don't want to abandon! So, now that my mouth is watering from your pictures, I decided that I can have them if I add some veggies and maybe a little whole wheat flour (I know, it robs pizza of its perfection, but better having to face the world without this gooey orb). Thanks for the dough recipe and all the ideas!

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  2. Thanks for the great recipe. Can't wait to try it. Love your blog!

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  3. Oh man that looks delicious!! I think I'm slightly starving after working in the yard all day.

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  4. Have you ever made stromboli? Definately worth a try b/c it is like a pizza sandwich. Take that yummy dough and make it into a rectangle. Spread just a tablespoon of sauce or pesto around, then your fav ingredients. Roll it up and tuck the ends under so the stuff does not ooze out. Cook in the oven until toasty (I coat mine with butter or an egg wash). For the kids you can make it with Ham and Swiss. It is a fav in our Italian Buffalo Home and people (especially westerners) will think you are even more amazing! Love your blog!

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  5. I've just started making homemade pizzas again but wasn't in love with my dough recipe. Definitely going to try this one! Looks wonderful!

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  6. I love to make pizza! I have become a pizza queen at my home as well, but my dough takes 1 hour to make! Thanks for the time saving recipe!

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  7. Thanks for the recipe. My dough recipe also takes an hour. We make a bunch of pizzas at a time and I could really use the time saver. Sounds like alot less work than mine too :)

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  8. I am so hungry for pizza now! Thanks for the great recipes!

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  9. Tried this dough recipe tonight...much quicker than mine...used half whole wheat flour (not by choice). My 3.5 year old and I each made a medium pizza..one with red sauce, can. bacon and pineapple and one with pesto sauce, tomatoes and basil...They were a big hit! I think the pre-cooking of the dough really makes a difference..this will certainly replace my old recipe. Thanks!

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  10. This is exactly my dough recipe, but I usually let it rise, punch down and roll out. I'm definitely going to give par baking it a try because it's a lot quicker for those "rush to make dinner" nights.

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  11. Thanks for the awesome post! I added it on my site. Check it out at: http://xrl.in/2h8o

    Thanks again,
    Andrea in NC

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  12. Yummy! Thanks so much! I'm with "an encourager". I need to stop eating so much pizza. My husband makes it often for our family. I made it with whole wheat pizza once, and it didn't turn out so well. I was so bummed, because I really want us to be healthier but if no one wants to eat it then is it worth it?

    If you ever find a good recipe for a whole wheat pizza, will you please post it?! :-)

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  13. Just a hint for perfect pizza crust: cook it on a pizza screen instead of just a pizza pan. It really makes all the difference!

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  14. Yum! I tried your recipe for dough with BBQ chicken tonight and it was a huge hit. LOVE this blog! I am in the midst of making placemat/chalkmats for my son's playgroup at the moment. They are coming out so cute! Thanks for all the ideas and inspiration!

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  15. Tried the recipe tonight! Yummy and quick! Tried it with ranch dressing, chicken, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. Only problem was keeping all the toppings on!

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  16. We made the pizza dough for dinner tonight and it was delish! Thanks

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  17. We have used your pizza dough recipe several times and have enjoyed it immensely. Thanks so much for sharing it!

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  18. Got some BBQ chicken pizza in the oven right now with this crust! Thanks for sharing!

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  19. I have to try the BBQ pork pizza - that looks delicious.

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