Three Cheese and Mushroom Pizza

This weekend I was really craving pizza and not the kind you order from your local Domino's. A few weeks ago I posted a recipe for a really great weeknight pizza dough. I used to make calzones (and have again several times since) but I had yet to make an actual pizza out of it. So Sunday afternoon was the perfect opportunity. The pizza flavor itself was awesome but I thought the crust turned out a little soft. Jesse said he really liked it though. Still, I think next time I will heat my pizza stone in the oven first and then put the dough on the hot stone. That should crisp the dough up more.

Three Cheese and Mushroom Pizza

1 ball of pizza dough
3/4 cup tomato sauce (recipe below)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4-1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
8 Mushrooms (I used baby bellas) sliced

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

To assemble the pizza roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Transfer the rolled out dough toa pizza stone lightly covered with corn meal. Spread the sauce in an even layer leaving about an inch around the edges. Top with the (3) cheeses. Spread the mushrooms on top of the cheese. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

*Next time I will roll out the dough and then put it on a HOT pizza stone while I assemble the pizza. Then bake.



My "Throw it Together Tomato Sauce for Pizza"

1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
Dried oregano, basil, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper

I start by heating the olive oil in a small sauce pan. Then I add the red pepper flakes (about 1/4 tsp, more if you like things spicy) and cook for a minute. Then I add the crushed tomatoes. A few shakes at a time I add the seasonings. I just keep tasting it as I go along until I come up with something that tastes good. I probably used 1/2 tsp of oregano, basil, and garlic powder and 1/4 tsp parsley, onion powder, salt and pepper.
*For real pasta I'll use real garlic and onions and fresh basil. But for pizza I like for my sauce to be pretty smooth so I use powdered.