• Making Starter
• Pizza Dough
• Toppings and Cooking

Making Starter

In order to make your own pizza, you will need starter. Starter is where the yeast comes from, which creates gasses and makes the dough lighter.

You can get starter from:

• A neighbor or friend who bakes
  
• A local bakery
  
• Your parents can order it online
  
• At a grocery store

Or, you can make your own starter!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons of active dry yeast
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons of sugar

Use a glass or plastic container and a wooden or plastic spoon for stirring. Do not use metal.



Directions

Pour the water into the container and stir in the yeast. Gradually stir in the flour. Cover the container with a clean dishcloth. Put it in a warm place but not in direct sunlight. This lets wild yeast enter and mix with the yeast from the packet.

The mixture will start to bubble. Let it bubble and grow anywhere from two to five days, or even a week, and stir it once each day. Then put it in your refrigerator with a loose cover until you need it. If you do not use it for a week, you still need to feed it.

Starter can last for years if you treat it properly and keep "feeding" it. Once a week, add equal parts flour and warm water (such as 1 cup flour for every 1 cup warm water).

Remember, never use a metal container, spoon or bowl. It will kill the yeast in the starter.

There are plenty of recipes that use sourdough starter, such as pie crust, buns, bread, cakes and waffles. Below is an easy pizza recipe you can even make a few days before you need it.

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Pizza Dough

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups starter
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups flour

Directions

Mix the first five ingredients together with a wooden spoon in a glass or plastic bowl. Add 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups flour. Add the flour one cup at a time and stop when it is too hard to stir. Put the dough on the counter covered with flour and knead it, adding flour when it is sticky. Knead it until it is smooth and stretchy and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours or put it in a bag in the refrigerator until you need it. (You do not need to let it rise after you take it out of the refrigerator.)


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Toppings and Cooking

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees for 10 minutes while you spread the dough into a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Add tomato sauce and your favorite toppings, such as cheese, meat, vegetables, pineapple, pesto, tomatoes, basil or anything you want.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the crust is light brown.

Pizza making is a creative activity to do with your friends and family. It's tasty and easy to make. It can be a great way to relax. Have fun!

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