Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe

I know, I know, it's a bit uncouth for me to post a pizza crust recipe in January amidst the resolution dieters. However, making homemade pizza doesn't necessarily mean that it's a diet buster. Homemade pizza lets you control the ingredients. Use less cheese, more veggies, lean meat (grilled chicken, turkey pepperoni) and more tomato sauce! The crust isn't really high in calories, it's what you put on top of it that can really make or break it.

I would know this because I have become quite the pizza pro lately. Greg is a pizza freak and I was bound and determined to make his favorite food from scratch. I've come up with this crust recipe that I feel is fail proof. There are two ways to actually make it -- by hand and in the breadmaker. There is also a 1.5 lb and 2 lb recipe. I can get two pizza crusts out of the 2 lb recipe. If you have a bread maker, you must try the dough setting - it's awesome!

Don't let this photo tempt you too much... it's not that unhealthy!!

One of my homemade pizzas with kalamata olives

Meg O.'s Pizza Crust

Please Note:  all ingredients room temperature for bread maker, water is warm (put in the microwave for 30 sec) for hand made

1.5 lb dough

½ tsp salt
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 and ½ tsp active dry yeast
1 c. water
2 Tbsp olive oil

2 lb dough

¾ tsp salt
4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 and ⅜ c. water
3 Tbsp olive oil

Preparation Instructions for Bread Maker

(if you’re feeling lazy...)
- Combine ingredients into bread pan
- Follow instructions on bread maker for “dough” setting

- Let dough mix and rise, take out when finished
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Bake crust alone for 3 minutes
- Top with desired toppings
- Bake an additional 10-12 minutes, until cheese is browned

Preparation Instructions for Hand Made

(if you’re feeling crafty...)
- Combine dry ingredients, minus yeast
- Add water, then add yeast
- Knead dough until smooth (about 5 minutes)
- Let dough rise for 15 minutes - 1 hour (I wrap it in a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Bake crust alone for 3 minutes
- Top with desired toppings
- Bake an additional 10-12 minutes, until cheese is browned

I would give you links to healthy pizza recipes, but I figured you knew how to use Google. This pizza crust can be used with anything! YAY! Enjoy!