
My sister Patsy, or Pat, is the pizza queen of the family! She is famous for her pizza and makes it the best! Her technique never fails her and people go crazy for it! The crust is delicious and crunchy, and the sauce is simple and spiced just right!
VIDEO: Pat and I made a video of her making pizza because her technique is so unusual and just the written directions will not cut it. Her way goes against conventional pizza making! She says you must be GENTLE with the dough! So NO BANGING OR PUNCHING this dough! She even ‘babies it’ by putting a towel underneath her mixing bowl so the bottom of the bowl is warm!
Set aside 20 minutes to watch the video if you can! There is some humor with outtakes the end too! We are two sisters having fun making a recipe video for the first time!
Through the years, Pat’s sisters, children, nieces, nephews, and friends have watched her make her pizza to try and copy it. We have come close! It is always delicious! She makes it look so simple to make! Give it a try and let me know how you did! I am positive you will get it close to hers and love the taste!
This plain style pizza is similar to a “Grandma or “Marguerita” pizza” you will find in pizza places that is also made in sheet pans and cut into squares. We like it with no toppings, just the tasty sauce and grated cheese. But you can definitely add any favorite toppings you like to this recipe. Mozzarella would go on underneath any other toppings you want.
This recipe makes 2 large pizzas to cut into squares and feeds a lot of people, but believe me, these squares go fast! As an appetizer for a crowd of 15 or 20, both pans will disappear! Hard to eat just one piece!
You can freeze half of the dough for another time if you just want to make one pizza. Pat also freezes her pizzas with great success as well! Enjoy!
Patsy’s Pizza
Equipment
- two 11×17-inch pans
Ingredients
- DOUGH
- 2 cups warm water 110-115 º
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast or 1 packet
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cups flour all purpose
- SAUCE:
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes divided
- 8 cloves garlic minced, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 2 teaspoons oregano divided
- ⅔ cup Romano cheese grated, or Parmigiano cheese, or a mixture of cheeses, divided
- 6 tablespoons oil divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500°.
- With vegetable shortening, grease the bottom and sides of two 11×17-inch sheet pans.
- DOUGH: On your countertop lay out a terry cloth dish towel and put a large bowl on top of the towel. Use a plastic or glass bowl, not metal. The towel keeps the bottom of the bowl warm.
- Pour the warm water into the bowl and stir in the yeast.
- Stir in the sugar.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then 2 dish towels and let the yeast proof for 10 minutes.
- When you see the yeast has bubbled, that means the yeast was good and it has proofed.
- Add in the oil, salt, and flour and stir with a spoon until a sticky dough forms.
- Use your hands to gently knead the dough only for a few minutes, or until it forms into a ball.
- Lift the dough and sprinkle just a little flour on the bottom and sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then with 2 dish towels, and let the dough rise for 1½ hours.
- Cut the risen dough in half. Shape the halves into two balls.
- Roll out each ball with a rolling-pin into a rectangle just a little smaller than your pan size.
- Put a rectangle in each prepared pan. With your fingers, push and spread the dough in each pan to reach the edges of the pan, going up just a little on the sides.
- SAUCE: Divide the can of tomatoes between the two pans and pour on top of the dough. With the back of a spoon, spread the tomatoes almost to the edges of the dough.
- Sprinkle the salt, oregano, and grated cheese, dividing these ingredients for each pan.
- Sprinkle the divided oil on top of each pizza.
- Then with the back of your spoon, lightly tap the pizza sauce to meld the ingredients together a little. (After this you can add any other topping ingredients now if you wish: pepperoni, meat, vegetables, etc. If you want mozzarella, used the packaged kind. Fresh mozzarella has too much water in it. Add the mozzarella first, then any other toppings over it.)
- Bake at 500° for 6-8 minutes, or until the pizza is bubbly on top and the crust is nice and brown on the bottom.
EXTRA TIP:
When Pat travels, she brings her well-used, seasoned pans with her!
Angie,
I attempted to download the video of you and Pat which I received in my mailbox and also on Facebook, but am unable to do so. I am sharing the recipe with family and friends via e-mail but unable to send the video. Would you please be kind enough to send the video to my personal e-mail so I can forward to my family & friends ?
Don Natale
Centennial, CO
“Maple Avenue Kid”
donxmas@gmail.com
ok, sure Don! Glad you liked it! 🙂