Description
A nostalgic school cafeteria-style pizza featuring a soft, chewy homemade dough topped with seasoned tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, Parmesan, and your favorite toppings. This recipe brings back comforting flavors with a simple dough made from all-purpose flour and powdered milk, baked to golden perfection in the oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup powdered milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 cup warm water (110°F)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce and Toppings
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional: Pepperoni, diced green peppers, or other favorite toppings
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a small bowl, combine the warm water (at 110°F), sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently and let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, powdered milk, and salt thoroughly to combine all dry ingredients evenly.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Knead: Pour the yeast mixture and olive oil into the dry ingredient bowl. Mix to combine and knead the dough on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Let Dough Rise: Lightly grease a bowl and place the kneaded dough inside. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small saucepan, add the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to get ready for baking the pizza.
- Shape the Dough: Roll out the risen dough on a lightly floured surface to fit your rectangular or round pizza pan.
- Assemble the Pizza: Spread the cooled tomato sauce evenly across the rolled dough, leaving a small border around the edges. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce, then add the grated Parmesan and any optional toppings like pepperoni or diced green peppers.
- Bake the Pizza: Place the assembled pizza in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust turns golden brown and the cheese bubbles and melts perfectly.
- Serve Warm: Remove the pizza from the oven, let cool slightly, slice into servings, and serve warm for a delicious, nostalgic meal.
Notes
- Ensure water is at the correct temperature (around 110°F) to activate yeast properly without killing it.
- Powdered milk adds a tender texture to the dough but can be omitted or substituted with regular milk if desired.
- Feel free to customize toppings to your preference, such as mushrooms, onions, or olives.
- Allow the dough to rise in a warm draft-free area to ensure proper fermentation.
- If you prefer a crispier crust, bake the pizza on a preheated pizza stone.
