Cooking Up a Storm

Ingredients

• Pizza Dough:
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 ½ to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• Toppings:
• 1 24-ounce jar favorite pizza or pasta sauce
• 3 to 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces baby spinach leaves
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

Pizza Dough: Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup of warm water. Pour the dissolved yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the salt, olive oil and 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Using a mixer with a dough hook, mix for 1 minute. Add as much of the remaining flour as needed, ½ cup at a time, and mix for about 2 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic and cleans the bowl. Knead for about 2 minutes more. (The dough may also be mixed and kneaded by hand.) Form the dough into a smooth ball and place it in greased bowl. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size. Punch the dough down and divide into 2 balls. Cover the dough balls with a towel and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

To make pizza: Oil a 12-inch pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. Stretch one ball of pizza dough by hand; then roll it out to fit the pizza pan. Cover the dough with a thin layer of pizza or pasta sauce. Arrange half of the prosciutto slices on top. Cover with half of the spinach leaves. Scatter half of the mozzarella cheese evenly on top, following with half of the feta cheese.

Place the pizza on the lowest rack in a 450 degree oven degree and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and the cheese is bubbly. Make a second pizza with the remaining ingredients. Makes two 12-inch pizzas.

Option: Other topping may be used such as mushrooms and fresh basil.

Recipe by Matt Elwell, Chief Meteorologist at Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

Photos

Added Tuesday, June 15, 2010