Homemade Stuffed-Crust Pizza

I used to want to own my own pizzeria. I thought I had the meanest, baddest pizza crust recipe that ever existed. But then my mom said she didn't like it, and my hopes were shattered. And since then, I've adopted Noelani's recipe for crust, which is really easy and simple and quick, but kept my own sauce recipe. You're lucky I'll share this with you....

The Sauce:

Make the sauce first, so it can simmer on the stove while you make the crust.

- Start by putting a little oil in a hot pan with chopped onions (about a quarter of an onion) and garlic (about a tablespoon of the crushed, jarred garlic)

Saute until soft. Then add: 

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

(or, if you're like me and don't like chunky tomatoes in your sauce, just use 2 cans of sauce)

Sprinkle:

Garlic Salt (maybe a teaspoon? I dont know, I dont usually measure my seasonings)

Basil

Italian Seasoning

Thyme

Parsley

--- At this point, stir and taste. It probably tastes either salty or acidic, or both. Sometimes I like to add lemon juice, and although that contributes to the acidity, it gives it a nice flavor. If you're going to do it, dont add more than 1/2 tsp to a tsp.

Here's where you add:

A sprinkle (seriously, just a sprinkle) of cinnamon

And about 1 tsp of brown sugar

--- this will help cut down on the acidity of the sauce, and give it just a hint of sweetness. If it's still salty/bitey, add a little more sugar until it tastes just right to you.

If you like a little spice, add a touch of red pepper flakes

The Crust:
2 1/2 cups flour (sometimes I do half and half white and wheat flour)
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water

Put water, yeast, and sugar together in a bowl and let sit for a few minutes. Then add salt and flour. Mix until a good solid dough is formed, not too sticky, but elastic-y consistency. Roll it out to fit your pan, leaving a bit of hang-over dough to make the crust. Put on pan

For stuffed crust, use string cheese divided into thirds (the long way) to line the outside rim of your crust. Roll the edges of the crust over the string cheese, and tuck it in nice and tight.

Our toppings included: pepperoni, pineapple, sausage, tomatoes, and cheese (a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar)

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, checking on it once you start to smell it.
*These amounts will make about 2 pizzas the size in the photo above. If you want to, double the dough recipe, but no need to double the sauce recipe - most likely you will have enough left over anyway. (I used my pizza sauce leftovers on spaghetti the next night)