Rick's Pizza
I've made this pizza for over 30 years now and never actually measured the ingredients, just tasted as I made it. I measured ingredients this time in order to write up this recipe for the big oven database. We love it and our grandchildren insist on it every time they visit. The best pepperoni in the world for this pizza is Chris Brothers pepperoni from the east coast in Canada. Needless to say if one of our relatives visits from the east they are especially welcomed if they bring this.
I've made this pizza for over 30 years now and never actually measured the ingredients, just tasted as I made it. I measured ingredients this time in order to write up this recipe for the big oven database. We love it and our grandchildren insist on it every time they visit. The best pepperoni in the world for this pizza is Chris Brothers pepperoni from the east coast in Canada. Needless to say if one of our relatives visits from the east they are especially welcomed if they bring this.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium onion
- pepperoni
- -- dough --
- -- sauce --
- -- toppings --
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes 796 ml
- 1 5.5-oz can tomato paste 156 ml
- 1 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed chillies
- big oven recipe # 158486
- sliced olives
- 1 10-oz can mushrooms pieces and stems
- sun-dried tomatoes
- hot peppers
- 300 grams mozzerella cheese (up to 400-g)
- any thing else you like
- Carbohydrate 17.671119874791 g
- Cholesterol 24 mg
- Fat 6.392135072115 g
- Fiber 3.12885332601801 g
- Protein 12.06168288461 g
- Saturated Fat 3.8654614375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (180g)
- Sodium 383.779562499631 mg
- Sugar 14.542266548773 g
- Trans Fat 0.435609603364999 g
- Calories 167 calories
Step-by-step
- Make pizza dough as per recipe.
- Add all ingredients to your food processor and blend until smooth.
- Roll dough out on to greased pizza stones or cookie sheets.
- Add sauce and spread evenly over dough.
- Add the toppings you like and top with the cheese.
- Bake in 350 deg. oven until done. 20 - 30 minutes. (cheese will be bubbling)
- Slice and serve immediately
Raw aromatics and canned tomatoes require mechanical pureeing to break down cell walls completely, yielding a uniform sauce consistency that prevents crust sogginess during the bake. Blending crushed tomatoes with paste, garlic, and dried herbs creates a concentrated flavor base without excess surface moisture. Extra sauce freezes effectively for future baking sessions, maintaining quality when stored airtight for up to three months.
Stretching yeast dough requires a relaxed gluten network, achieved by letting the shaped crust rest for fifteen minutes before topping to prevent shrinking back toward the center. Greasing baking stones or heavy cookie sheets with oil promotes thermal transfer and fries the outer crust border for optimal crispness. Baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for twenty to thirty minutes allows the moisture in heavy toppings to evaporate while the mozzarella melts and bubbles.
Pairing this rich, savory pie with a crisp, acidic green salad cuts through the heavy fat content of the melted cheese and cured meats. Bitter greens like arugula or radicchio dressed simply in red wine vinegar and olive oil provide a necessary textural contrast to the dense, baked crust. Lemon juice brightens the palate between slices of warm, cheese-heavy pizza.
Standard metal baking sheets serve as reliable alternatives when pizza stones are unavailable, though preheating the metal pan inside the oven for ten minutes ensures a similarly browned bottom crust. Heavy-duty aluminum foil makes cleanup straightforward if toppings release excess oil during the baking cycle. Rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time compensates for uneven oven hot spots.
