Pizza with Pizzazz

Elevate your pizza night with "Pizza with Pizzazz," a homemade masterpiece packed with bold flavors and fresh ingredients. This recipe features a golden, hand-kneaded crust topped with tangy tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella cheese, and customizable toppings like zesty pepperoni, sweet red bell peppers, briny black olives, and fresh basil leaves. Perfect for family dinners or pizza parties, this 35-minute recipe (plus rise time) delivers a crisp, chewy crust and irresistible toppings baked to bubbly perfection. Whether you're craving classic comfort or want to spice things up with optional crushed red pepper flakes, this pizza recipe is sure to impress. Make one for now, save the dough for later, and experience the ultimate homemade pizza satisfaction!

Nutriscore Rating: 64/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:15 mins

Total Time:35 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 3.5 cups All-purpose flour
• 2.25 teaspoons Active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
• 1.25 teaspoons Salt
• 1.25 cups Warm water
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 cup Tomato sauce
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 20 slices Pepperoni slices
• 0.5 piece Red bell pepper, sliced
• 0.5 cup Black olives, sliced
• 0.25 cup Fresh basil leaves
• 0.5 teaspoons Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, sugar, and salt.

Step 2

Add warm water and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Stir until the dough comes together.

Step 3

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Step 4

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place until doubled in size.

Step 5

Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) and place a pizza stone or baking sheet inside to heat up.

Step 6

Punch down the risen dough and divide it into two equal portions. Roll one portion into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Reserve the other portion for a second pizza or freeze for later use.

Step 7

Transfer the rolled-out dough to a piece of parchment paper for easy handling.

Step 8

Spread half of the tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.

Step 9

Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce.

Step 10

Top the pizza with half of the pepperoni slices, red bell pepper slices, black olives, and fresh basil leaves.

Step 11

Carefully slide the parchment paper with the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.

Step 12

Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

Step 13

Slice into pieces and serve hot. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and toppings to make a second pizza.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1483.1g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	3094.9

Total Fat 130.2g	0%
Saturated Fat 47.1g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.7g
Cholesterol 240.3mg	0%
Sodium 6643.1mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 358.1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 20.9g	0%
Total Sugars 16.7g
Protein 109.9g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 1713.2mg	0%
Iron 25.9mg	0%
Potassium 1105.7mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 38.5%

Protein: 14.4%

Carbs: 47.1%