Rituals: Homemade Pizza Night

In a few moments I will head to the kitchen to begin making pizza dough. I will pull out my large Tupperware bowl as well as the flour, the yeast, the salt, the sugar, and the olive oil. With little thought, my hands will measure the ingredients and mix the dough. I could make this recipe in my sleep.

Tonight’s dinner is a staple at the Brummeler house and has been for a long while. Before coming to Stony Brook, the weekly ritual of making pizza on Friday night signaled the end of the work week and the beginning of the weekend.  No one asked, “what’s for dinner?” on Fridays. We knew.

These days our pizza ritual is more fluid–sometimes I make pizza mid-week or on Saturday or Sunday night, but it still happens. Friends, students, and family have shared in our pizza ritual over the years.

I stumbled across this recipe as a stay-at-home mom, looking for easy and inexpensive meals to feed my family. It was an instant winner and the rest is history. Over the years, I have played around with the ratio of wheat to white flour, or sugar versus honey. I think one cup of wheat flour to two cups white is the best. Regardless, feel free to experiment. You can’t go wrong. This recipe makes one large pizza. If I am in the mood for a thinner crust, I split the dough in half to make two pizzas. This recipe also doubles and triples well. I once made pizza for Jacob and Anna’s birthday parties and fed a handful of hungry kids. (Remember, Jacquelyn?)

Finally, I love rituals that anchor and shape family life. For our family, homemade pizza night was that kind of ritual. Perhaps it will become yours as well.

 Pizza Dough Recipe—makes one large pizza

1 c. warm water

1 pkg. dry yeast (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. sugar or honey

3 c. flour (I use 1 cup whole wheat and 2 cups white)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

In a bowl, mix the yeast, sugar, and water. Let proof for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients. Knead the dough on a floured surface, adding more flour until it is not sticky. Place in a bowl and cover, letting it rise for 5 minutes to 2 hours depending on the texture you would like. The longer you let the dough rise, the more bread-like the dough will become. Punch down the dough and shape into a large pizza. Top with any combinations and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.