Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

Skip ordering and make this super delicious homemade pepperoni pizza using an easy dough recipe and a simple homemade sauce. 

I can count with my fingers the number of dishes I cook that my eldest daughter likes. She is a picky eater. And I can not count the number of times that I lost the battle against a slice of pepperoni pizza. ha!

Man, she can devour slices after slices of a good pepperoni pizza, while she can pick off the smallest bit of garlic in my cooking, and then decides not to eat the entire thing. 

So one day, I told myself, “I am gonna tackle this pepperoni pizza battle”.  After all, you gotta learn how to make your daughter’s favorite, right?

So here we are. Make sure you try this one too, because boy oh boy, it is such a keeper.

How to Make Homemade Pepperoni Pizza?

1. Combine warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes, until foamy. Add the sugar, salt, and oil. Stir well. 
2. Add 3 and 3/4 cups of the flour, one cup at a time, stirring well, after adding, just until the dough comes together in the center of the bowl. Add more flour as needed if the dough is still too wet and not forming.
3. Transfer the dough into an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and let it rise for 1 hour, or store in the fridge for up to 4-6 hours. 
4. In a small saucepan, heat the oil. Add the garlic and onions and saute just until soft. Add the tomato sauce and bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 6 minutes. Add the dried herbs and sugar. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat. This can be made a day or two in advance. Just store it in the fridge until you are ready to make your pizza. 
5. Preheat oven to 425 F. Gently punch down the pizza dough and divide it into two. Pat and shape one dough portion into a big circle, using a large round pizza pan as your guide. There is no need to roll out the dough. Just use its weight to naturally let it fall into a circular shape as you lift it. 
6. Place the pizza dough into a pizza pan. Spread 1/2 of the sauce all over the dough, leaving about 1/4 inch borders along the edges. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese over the sauce and arrange the pepperoni slices on top. Bake the pepperoni pizza for 18-22 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the crust is lightly browned. Note: You can use the remaining half of the ingredients to make another pizza right away or store the sauce and toppings in the fridge for up to two days. The dough should be frozen until you are going to use it.

This was devoured. Without a doubt, I win.

More Dinner Recipes:

• Chicken BBQ Pizza
• Boursin Cheese Pasta
• Baked Ziti
• Cheesy Baked Macaroni
• Roasted Veggies Flatbread Pizza
• Chicken Burger Sliders
• Mushroom Jalapeno Naan Pizza
• Roasted Mini Potatoes

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Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Skip take out and make this homemade pepperoni pizza using an easy dough recipe and a simple pizza sauce.

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Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough (makes enough for two large round pizza)

• 1 and 1/2 cup warm water (105-115 F)
• 4 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 and 3/4  to 4 cups all-purpose flour

For the Pizza Sauce

• 1 can (398 ml) tomato sauce
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 3-4 tbsp sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tbsp oilve oil

Toppings

• 3 cups shredded mozzarella
• 2 cups sliced pepperoni

Instructions

Make the Pizza Dough

1. Combine warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes, until foamy. Add the sugar, salt, and oil. Stir well.
2. Add 3 and 3/4 cups of the flour, one cup at a time, stirring well, after adding, just until the dough comes together in the center of the bowl. Add more flour as needed if the dough is still too wet and not forming.
3. Transfer the dough into an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and let it rise for 1 hour, or store in the fridge for up to 4-6 hours.
4. Meanwhile, make the pizza sauce.

Make the Pizza Sauce

1. In a small saucepan, heat the oil. Add the garlic and onions and saute just until soft. Add the tomato sauce and bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 6 minutes. Add the dried herbs and sugar. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat. This can be made a day or two in advance. Just store it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
   

Assemble and Bake the Pizza

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Gently punch down the pizza dough and divide it into two. Pat and shape one dough portion into a big circle, using a large round pizza pan as your guide. There is no need to roll out the dough. Just use its weight to naturally let it fall into a circular shape as you lift it.
2. Place the pizza dough into a pizza pan. Spread 1/2 of the sauce all over the dough, leaving about 1/4 inch borders along the edges. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese over the sauce and arrange the pepperoni slices all over.
3. Bake the pepperoni pizza for 18-22 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the crust is lightly browned. You can use the remaining half of the ingredients to make another pizza right away or store the sauce and toppings in the fridge for up to two days. The dough should be frozen.

Notes

Pizza dough recipe adapted from: Martha Stewart