Saturday Night's Alright For Pizza
I decided to make pizza last night but I got home a little late to make fresh pizza dough so I bought a package of dough from my local Shaw's Market; a pepperoni, cheese and black olive pizza. I do not have a pizza stone so I use a 14-inch cast iron frying pan turned upside down as the cooking surface. That gives you a nice crispy crust on the bottom of the pie. (Note: the dough from the supermarket really sucked. Make your own dough.)
For a sauce I take a can of plum tomatoes, drain the juice and press the solids in a colander. I then add extra-virgin olive oil, tomato paste, pepperoncino, salt, and herbs and pulse that a few times in a food processor. Not too much now so you don't aerate the sauce and make it pink.
Pop the pizza stone or cast iron pan into the oven on the lower rack and pre-heat for 45 minutes at 475 degrees
Assemble your ingredients. I always take the pepperoni and lay it out on paper towels and microwave it for 35-45 seconds to drain out some of the grease (a hat-tip to America's Test Kitchen for that one).
Flour your work surface and press the dough out into a circle with your fingers.
Use a rolling pin to complete the process.
Place some cornmeal or semolina flour (I use cornmeal) on your pizza peel...
...and lay the dough out on the peel very close to the thin edge.
Spread your sauce right out to the edge leaving 1/4 inch border.
Sprinkle your cheese (I use a mozzarella and cheddar combination). Not too much now.
Place the pepperoni onto the cheese.
Add your veggie toppings after the pepperoni. Remember, the pepperoni is already basically cooked so it is ok to put the toppings over the pepperoni.
I always put a "baccino" (a little kiss) of extra-virgin olive oil on the pizza before going into the oven
Slide that baby onto the pre-heated pizza stone or pan and cook for 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it or...
You'll burn it like I did. Oh well. The methodology was right but the execution was not great. We at FHP are not afraid to show our mistakes. Just remember to check the pizza as it cooks from the top as well as the bottom and very quickly too. Next time I make another pizza I'll post what it is supposed to look like.
For a sauce I take a can of plum tomatoes, drain the juice and press the solids in a colander. I then add extra-virgin olive oil, tomato paste, pepperoncino, salt, and herbs and pulse that a few times in a food processor. Not too much now so you don't aerate the sauce and make it pink.
Pop the pizza stone or cast iron pan into the oven on the lower rack and pre-heat for 45 minutes at 475 degrees
Assemble your ingredients. I always take the pepperoni and lay it out on paper towels and microwave it for 35-45 seconds to drain out some of the grease (a hat-tip to America's Test Kitchen for that one). 
Flour your work surface and press the dough out into a circle with your fingers.
Use a rolling pin to complete the process.
Place some cornmeal or semolina flour (I use cornmeal) on your pizza peel...
...and lay the dough out on the peel very close to the thin edge. 
Spread your sauce right out to the edge leaving 1/4 inch border. 
Sprinkle your cheese (I use a mozzarella and cheddar combination). Not too much now. 
Place the pepperoni onto the cheese. 
Add your veggie toppings after the pepperoni. Remember, the pepperoni is already basically cooked so it is ok to put the toppings over the pepperoni. 
I always put a "baccino" (a little kiss) of extra-virgin olive oil on the pizza before going into the oven
Slide that baby onto the pre-heated pizza stone or pan and cook for 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it or... 
You'll burn it like I did. 
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