The Ultimate Pizza

It had been a couple of weeks since we had our last pizza, so I figured it was time for another one. This time I chose to do a more traditional pizza with a tomato based sauce. I used the same pizza sauce recipe that my mom used. It is a simple combination of tomatoe sauce, tomato paste, crushed garlic, oregano and basil. It is combined in a small saucepan and simmered for about 20 minutes. This allows the falvors to soak into the sauce and make it all the more tastey. For toppings, I did half of the pizza with sauteed mushrooms, red onions, olives, red bell pepper, Canadian bacon and chicken sausage. I prefer to have more vegetables on my pizza, so on my half I used sauteed mushrooms, red onion, olives, red bell pepper and sliced summer squash, chicken sausage and grilled chicken. I have NEVER liked sausage, but for some reason it sounded good. Since I can't quite stomach the thought of eating pork, I opted for mild Italian chicken sausage. HOLY COW!!! I have been missing out on a delicious thing. The chicken sausage was perfectly season. Not too stong or ovewhelming, not overly greasy, but just right. And the grilled chicken was also grilled to perfection. The crust was PERFECT! I baked it on my pizza stone (one of my favorite kitchen tools). It was one of the most satisfying pizzas I have had in a long time. It was one of those meals that I was seriously sad to be full. Needless to say, I will be making this again soon. Very soon. Because I have already basically explained how I made the pizza, I am not going to post the exact recipe. I will, however, leave you with the best pizza crust recipe. I hope you enjoy as much as we did!!!!

Pizza Crust

1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting
Directions
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.
Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll or pat out the dough into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under the pizza dough. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and top with your favorite flavors. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp.