Vegetarian Pizza (from Scratch)

This particular pizza had green peppers, onions, and celery on it. Yum!

Edit: I finally took pictures! About time, right?

I know it's been a while since my last post and I apologize sincerely for not updating sooner. However, school has started (!) and I promptly left my camera at home. That's a horrible excuse, I know, but it's true -- and I can't very well post pictures without a camera.

That being said, I thought I'd just hop on and leave you a quick note to tell you I'm still alive and kickin'. I also wanted to share a recipe that's not only easy, which is definitely a plus, but also a crowd-pleaser: Vegetarian Pizza from Scratch.

You're probably thinking, "From scratch?!? That is way too hard!" But believe me. This is probably one of the easiest recipes you could ever make, and that is saying something, because... well, toast is pretty darn easy.

But I digress. This is a recipe I got from Mark Bittman's cookbook How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, and I have to admit I use it all the time.

The really great thing about making pizza from scratch, by the way, is that you can top it with whatever you want. The recipe I've included below just happens to be the one I make most often, but the version I make for my husband adds sausage and pepperoni as well, for example. Don't be afraid to get creative!

The far half is the veggie side. The one closest to the camera is the meat side (sausage and pepperoni).

Vegetarian Pizza from Scratch
adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

*Note* This recipe can easily be doubled for larger or multiple pizzas.

Dough:
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp active-dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 - 3/4 C warm water

Toppings:
1/2 C pizza sauce (store-bought or you can make your own)
3/4 C shredded Mozzarella cheese
3/4 C shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese
1/4 C diced onions
1/4 C diced green peppers
1/4 C diced black olives


1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt with a wooden spoon. Add 1 Tbs olive oil and 1/2 C water. Mix with the spoon as long as you can, and then use your hands. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour; if it's too dry, add water 1/8 - 1/4 C at a time.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times before rolling into a ball. Clean out the bowl you already used and add 1 Tbs olive oil to the bottom. Roll the ball of dough in the oil until evenly coated, cover with a towel, and let it sit while the oven preheats.
3. Preheat oven to 500F. Meanwhile, prepare the toppings. Dice the onions, green peppers, and black olives; set aside.
4. When oven is preheated, knead the dough a few times on a floured surface before transferring it to an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a rolling pin and your fingers, roll the dough out into a rectangle on the cookie sheet, about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick.
5. Spread pizza sauce all over the dough and top with Mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle onion, green pepper, and olive chunks evenly over the surface. Finish with Colby Jack or Cheddar.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes, or until edges are brown and cheese is melted. Allow to cool a few minutes before cutting. Enjoy!