Home-Made Pizza at Work

ENTERTAINMENT - Why order out and get a crappy pizza that never seems to have enough meat on it? If you're like me, you like lots of meat on your pizza. In fact its reached a point where I've decided to start making my own pizzas, and adding my own toppings.

#1. Its a lot cheaper.

#2. It saves time (seriously, the half hour or 45 minutes it takes to wait for the pizza, plus the time spent arguing over what to put on the pizza and where to order from, you could just make your own).

#3. You make the pizza as big as you want and with the toppings you want.

#4. Homemade pizza TASTES better.

#5. Want to impress your girlfriend or friends? Nothing says "THIS IS TOTALLY AWESOME!" than a well-made homemade pizza.

I recommend making pizza a couple times by yourself to perfect your recipe before treating your girlfriend. Nothing says LOSER more than burning the pizza.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE PIZZA:

1 package dried yeast (1½ tsp - 8ml)
1/2 tsp sugar (3ml)
1½ cup lukewarm water (375ml)
3½ cups white flour (500 gm)
1½ tsp salt (8ml)
1 large egg
Olive oil

Toppings: I recommend buying pepperoni, sausages (which you can thaw out and cut into slices), potatoes (small or medium potato wedges on pizza is a Korean trick, and very tasty), peppers (green or red), onions, ground hamburger, bacon sprinkle (usually a salad topping, but also useful for pizza) and whatever else you regularly enjoy on your pizza.

Sprinkle yeast and sugar into warm water and mix. Allow to sit for 10 minutes until mixture begins to bubble.

Combine flour and salt in large bowl, make a well in the center, pour in yeast mixture and beaten egg and gradually work in the flour to make a dough.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead thoroughly until smooth and elastic - at least 5 minutes. Use only enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface.

Place in lightly oiled bowl, turn dough to coat with oil and cover with a clean cloth.

DO NOT USE A ROLLING PIN!!! Some people are lazy and use a rolling pin to squash the pizza out, but the problem is that this causes the pizza to be squished and won't be as fluffy when you cook it. If you spread the dough out by hand it will be fluffier and taste better. Too thin and it will become more like a cardboard pizza (which everyone hates).

Keep the pizza dough in your fridge or on the counter until later, and when you're ready just add tomato sauce and toppings, and pop it in the oven.

Allow to rise for 45 minutes, or until doubled in volume. Punch down and then use as directed in recipe. (Use rolling motion with fists to force-stretch dough to size of pizza pan).

There is also plenty of recipes and videos available on YouTube, so you can find the recipe that is right for you.