On Friday nights, it has become pizza night in our house. Traditions are important to start so that your kids can carry on down the blood lines. Now that my kids are becoming old enough to help, I am teaching them our recipes so that one day they will make them. My daughter Milana, loves to be mommies little helper. Italians are known for their food, recipes, but mostly for their family pride. We have Miceli family pride and we are proud to show it! Our children are being trained to speak the language and one day hopefully be able to read and write it as well. Maybe when we go to Italya next year, Milana will show our family how well she can cook! Pizza night consists of many steps since mostly everything is made from scratch. In the morning we make the dough.
Pizza Dough
1 cup of warm water (not to hot, not to cold)
2 tspns of yeast
splash of olive oil
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
2 cups of flour (another 1 cup to keep on the side to add while kneading the dough)
First you want to put the warm water in a bowl and add the yeast. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes until the yeast is completely activated. Add in the salt, sugar, oil and then the flour. Start stirring and then flour your hands and knead the dough. Add more flour in little by little until the dough is formed into a ball. Get some plastic wrap and flour it and then put your dough on it and wrap it. (If you want to make a bigger pizza, double this recipe). Cover the dough with a bunch of dishtowels or as we say Mapina's in Italian. When it rises, it is ready to use.
Pizza Dough
1 cup of warm water (not to hot, not to cold)
2 tspns of yeast
splash of olive oil
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
2 cups of flour (another 1 cup to keep on the side to add while kneading the dough)
First you want to put the warm water in a bowl and add the yeast. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes until the yeast is completely activated. Add in the salt, sugar, oil and then the flour. Start stirring and then flour your hands and knead the dough. Add more flour in little by little until the dough is formed into a ball. Get some plastic wrap and flour it and then put your dough on it and wrap it. (If you want to make a bigger pizza, double this recipe). Cover the dough with a bunch of dishtowels or as we say Mapina's in Italian. When it rises, it is ready to use.
Now it is time to make the pizza. You now need to prep the sauce. Dice up 3 cloves of garlic and add to a pan with olive oil. Brown the garlic and then add in the tomatoes. I use Cento brand as the tomatoes have a sweet and great taste to them. Now add half a can of water to cut the acid....again NO SUGAR!!! Add in a splash of salt and basil and let it simmer.
Get sheet pans out and spray. Unwrap the dough and drop onto the sheet. Now put a little bit of flour on top and start working the dough out from side to side, carefully not to tear it. As you start working it, get a fork and gently "fork" the dough allowing the air to escape the dough. Continue working the dough and adding flour if the dough is sticky, until you have it reaching all four sides of the pan.
Now add the sauce with a laddle and smooth it out, add on the cheese and whatever toppings you would like. My kids prefer pepperoni. Then add some oregano on top and it is ready to pop in the oven on 350-400 for about 25 min.
I also make a second pie which we call a white pizza. Dice up some garlic. Now drizzle some olive oil on the dough and spread with your hand. Next add on the garlic, add a little bit of Parmesan cheese,then oregano, and again pop into the oven. This pie you need to keep an eye on as it can get hard quick so the minute you see the top becoming golden, pull it out.
If you do not want to make a white pizza, take the dough and pull off pieces, and cut into ropes. Take those ropes and put into a knot. Place on a greased pan and pop into the oven. When they become golden pull them out. In a tupperware put 1/2 stick of butter, diced garlic, and oregano and nuke it for about 30 sec. Pull it out and using a cooking brush, brush it onto the knots and there you have Garlic Knots!!
Enjoy and create a tradition of your own!
Get sheet pans out and spray. Unwrap the dough and drop onto the sheet. Now put a little bit of flour on top and start working the dough out from side to side, carefully not to tear it. As you start working it, get a fork and gently "fork" the dough allowing the air to escape the dough. Continue working the dough and adding flour if the dough is sticky, until you have it reaching all four sides of the pan.
Now add the sauce with a laddle and smooth it out, add on the cheese and whatever toppings you would like. My kids prefer pepperoni. Then add some oregano on top and it is ready to pop in the oven on 350-400 for about 25 min.
I also make a second pie which we call a white pizza. Dice up some garlic. Now drizzle some olive oil on the dough and spread with your hand. Next add on the garlic, add a little bit of Parmesan cheese,then oregano, and again pop into the oven. This pie you need to keep an eye on as it can get hard quick so the minute you see the top becoming golden, pull it out.
If you do not want to make a white pizza, take the dough and pull off pieces, and cut into ropes. Take those ropes and put into a knot. Place on a greased pan and pop into the oven. When they become golden pull them out. In a tupperware put 1/2 stick of butter, diced garlic, and oregano and nuke it for about 30 sec. Pull it out and using a cooking brush, brush it onto the knots and there you have Garlic Knots!!
Enjoy and create a tradition of your own!