Homemade Pizza

So, the other day, I made homemade pizza. I had a little mishap, because the recipe I usually use for crust calls for cornmeal. Well, surprise for me, I'm out of cornmeal! So, since I had already started soaking the yeast, I decided to improvise. I used a different recipe for Italian Breadsticks instead, for the crust. It turned out really good, except for one thing. I forgot to add in the sugar before I mixed everything up, so some parts were a little sweet, but it still tasted pretty good. Anyway, here is the recipe. I also modified it a bit, so that it would be better for crust. If I had done the last half of it, it would have been a bit overpowering, I think. This recipe is from my Pillsbury cookbook.

Italian Breadsticks

1 package active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water
2 to 2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon water
1 egg white
Sesame or poppy seed

In large bowl, dissolve yeast in 2/3 cup warm water. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, garlic salt, and shortening; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in an additional 1 to 1 1/4 cups flour to form a soft dough. Place dough in greased bowl, cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 30-40 minutes. Grease 15x10x1 inch baking pan. On lightly floured surface, knead dough about 10 times or until no longer sticky. 15x10 inch rectangle; place in greased pan.

If you want pizza crust, skip the rest of this paragraph, but if you want breadsticks, cut dough into 12 strips starting with 10 inch side. Then cut strips in half crosswise, forming 24 sticks. In small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white; beat slightly. Brush over sticks. Sprinkle with sesame seed. Cover; let rise in warm place, 15-20 minutes.

To make pizza, for sauce, I spoon canned tomato sauce mixed with pizza or Italian seasoning to taste onto dough. Then I sprinkle desired amount of cheese (I usually use cheddar, but mozzarella is standard for pizza), then put on desired toppings. Add toppings before cooking.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover dough. Bake 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan; cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm.