Cheese Pizza

Name: Cheese Pizza
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 2 pizzas (8 servings each)
Cuisine: Europe, Italian
Ingredients: 1-1/4 cups warm water (110° to 115°); 2 teaspoons sugar, divided; 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast; 3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose or 00 flour; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and marjoram, optional; 1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil; 1-1/2 cups Homemade Pizza Sauce; 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Total Time Prep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 25 min.

Yield 2 pizzas (8 servings each)

Test Kitchen Approved

The best cheese pizza combines a chewy pizza crust with rich tomato sauce and ooey-gooey cheese. We cover all the basics here, from kneading the pizza dough to blending the cheeses for flavor and texture.

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups warm water (110° to 115°)
2 teaspoons sugar, divided
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose or 00 flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and marjoram, optional
1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil
1-1/2 cups Homemade Pizza Sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a small bowl, mix warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar; add yeast and whisk until dissolved. Let stand until bubbles form on surface. In a large bowl, whisk 3 cups flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and, if desired, dried herbs. Make a well in center; add yeast mixture and oil. Stir until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead, adding more flour to surface as needed until no longer sticky and dough is smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a large greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes; transfer bowl to refrigerator and chill overnight. Allow dough to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before rolling.
Preheat oven to 400°. Divide dough in half. With greased fingers, pat each half onto an ungreased 12-in. pizza pan. Prick dough thoroughly with a fork. Bake until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Top with sauce and cheeses. Bake at 400° until golden brown and cheese is bubbling, 12-15 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with additional basil or oregano.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 225 calories, 10g fat (4g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 357mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 9g protein.

This recipe is a great starter pizza if you're new to making it from scratch. It's plain cheese with homemade pizza sauce, but you could add your family's favorite toppings and save time using a prepared sauce. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Recipe Creator