Flag Day Pizza
Ingredients:
For the Pizza Dough
2 cups warm water (105 –110-degrees)
2 packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
4–4 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
For the Topping
1 cup prepared pizza sauce
1 package (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 6–8 extra-large pitted black olives, halved
1/4 pound thinly sliced pepperoni
Directions:
Making the Dough
In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and honey; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in oil and salt.
Using a large wooden spoon, stir in 4 cups flour, a little at a time, until a soft dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8–10 minutes, adding just enough flour to prevent stickiness.
Grease a large bowl. Transfer dough to the prepared bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 1-1/2–2 hours.
Assembling and Baking the Pizza
Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Grease a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
Punch down dough; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a large rectangle; transfer dough to the prepared pan. Using your fingers, press dough to the edges of the pan.
Spoon sauce onto dough, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around edges. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella over the sauce in a 5-inch square in the top left corner of pizza.
Arrange olives on cheese square to resemble the stars on a flag.
Arrange pepperoni and remaining mozzarella in alternating horizontal stripes to cover the rest of pizza.
Bake pizza until cheese is melted and crust is browned, 12–14 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; cool for 5 minutes. Transfer pizza to a cutting board; cut and serve immediately.
Vegetarian Variation
For the Pizza Dough
2 cups warm water (105 –110-degrees)
2 packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
4–4 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
For the Topping
1 cup prepared pizza sauce
1 package (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
6–8 extra-large pitted black olives, halved
1/4 pound thinly sliced pepperoni
Making the Dough
In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and honey; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in oil and salt.
Using a large wooden spoon, stir in 4 cups flour, a little at a time, until a soft dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8–10 minutes, adding just enough flour to prevent stickiness.
Grease a large bowl. Transfer dough to the prepared bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 1 1/2–2 hours.
Assembling and Baking the Pizza
Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Grease a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
Punch down dough; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a large rectangle; transfer dough to the prepared pan. Using your fingers, press dough to the edges of the pan.
Spoon sauce onto dough, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around edges. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella over the sauce in a 5-inch square in the top left corner of pizza.
Arrange olives on cheese square to resemble the stars on a flag.
Arrange pepperoni and remaining mozzarella in alternating horizontal stripes to cover the rest of pizza.
Bake pizza until cheese is melted and crust is browned, 12–14 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; cool for 5 minutes. Transfer pizza to a cutting board; cut and serve immediately.
Recipe makes eight servings.
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