4 Cheese Tomato Basil Pizza & Pepperoni Pizza

I went on a home made pizza kick a few years ago, trying out several different recipes, and trying different flavors. From grilled, to oven baked, seasoned crust to plain. THIS IS THE BEST RECIPE BY FAR! 

Its hard to please each family member when it come to food. Everyone has different likes/dislikes...but this pizza won over everyone's taste buds!

I also usually like having my kids cook with me, but I've found that most pizza dough's are "tricky" to work with, and its difficult for the kiddos to help. This dough is SUPER kid friendly once it has risen! I let the kids work with it for a while, rolling it out over and over. (with VERY cleans hand I should add) and the toppings were fun for them to spread and sprinkle around!

I found it on food network, one of the Pioneer Woman's fabulous recipes! I made a few "tweaks" (not many) that I thought would make it yummier for MY family.

1 pkt active dry yeast

1 12 c. warm water

4 c flour

1 tea salt

1/3 c olive oil + more for drizzling

12 oz fresh mozzarella thinly sliced

1 c. pepperoni 

Pizza sauce (I used store bought, it made it quicker)

4 Cheese Tomato Basil Pizza:

salt and pepper

2-3 large table spoonfuls of basil pesto (y.u.m!)

1 c. fresh mozzarella shredded 

1/2 c. fontina shredded

1/2 c. pecorino ramano shredded

1/2 c goat cheese crumbled

1/4 c. olive oil

4 minced garlic cloves

1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes halved

1 pint red cherry tomatoes halved

16 basil leaves thinly sliced

1-2 tabl. balsamic vinegar

Mix together your warm water and yeast. Set a side for a few while you get the dough ready...In a mixer with the paddle attachment, mix your flour and salt together. Drizzle in the olive oil, making sure its mixed well. Next slowly add in your yeast mixture until its well combined. Remove the dough and form it into a ball, drizzle the mixing bowl with olive oil and spread it all over the bowl with your hand. Then rub your hands all over the dough making sure its well coated with oil. set inside the mixing bowl, and cover with foil and let sit for 1 hour.

*This is a great dough for little kiddos to help out with once it has risen!

After dough has risen, remove it from the bowl, divide it in half, and roll it out to fit your pan (I used a large rectangle cookie sheet)

Transfer onto the cookie sheet, spread some pizza sauce over the top, place the sliced mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. Bake at 500 for 13-15 min.

Next for the 4 cheese tomato basil, take the other half of the dough, and the same way roll it out to fit your pizza pan of choice. Spread the basil pesto all over the top. Sprinkle the cheese over the pesto.

Heat a small pan with the 1/4 c olive oil, add the minced garlic, and quickly stir around. You don't want it browning, just slightly golden. Pour it into a mixing bowl, add the tomatoes, salt and pepper & basil. Mix it up well and spread that over the cheese. Bake it in the oven at 500, for 13-15 min. Slice 'em up and serve!