Pizza Sticks

Who doesn't like pizza? It has to be one of the most versatile foods ever invented....you have a crispy crust topped with whatever you can think up! The only issue with me is trying to make it at home and not have a meltdown over it. If you follow this blog, you know what I mean.

So I am at Williams Sonoma (cue singing angels) and I see this nifty pan called a "pizza stick pan". Number one, I want an easy way to cook pizza at home and number two...I can always use another gadget. Bam, sold!

I hope you can tell from the picture, but the pan has 5 shallow wells in it and it is coated in this gold coating that I have been seeing more and more of. It's non stick but looks different. The pan also comes with a handy dandy cutter so the dough fits perfectly in the wells.

Top it with sauce and whatever, bake them at 450 (I think) and you are in business. I have made them two times..one time it worked (pictures attached) the second time I did something wrong because it so didn't work. Note to self: When rising the pizza dough in the oven with the oven off...don't try to get ahead of yourself and pre-heat the oven for the actual pizza sticks. It wrecks the dough. I'm just sayin.

I think these are a cool invention and everyone gets their own pizza to top.





Pizza Sauce

1 6oz can tomato paste
6 oz warm water 110 degrees…but hot tap will be fine
3 tbl grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp of honey
¾ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp dried marjoram
¼ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

In a small bowl, combine everything (water last) and let sit for 30 minutes or longer to let flavors blend. Spread over pizza dough, top and bake – yum


Pizza Dough

3cups flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 tbl vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbl granulated sugar
1 cup warm tap water – 110 degrees at least.

Combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Mix in oil and warm water. When a ball forms spray ball in the bowl with cooking spray or rub lightly with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise in warm place for 30 minutes or so. (You don’t have to let the dough rise…it is perfectly good as is, but it just is a bit denser. If you can let it rise its just a bit chewier) I turn on the oven to about 280 degrees and put the oven safe bowl covered in there and turn off the oven. Rises fine.

After the rising, or after the mixing (if you aren’t rising) you can do 1 of 2 things:
1. Spread out on a large cookie sheet or pan. Top as desired. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or so.
2. If you have a pizza stone (how I do it with a pampered chef cookie sheet stone) preheat the stone in a 500 degree oven for 30 minutes. Spread the dough out onto parchment paper, top with toppings. Slide pizza onto either an inverted sheet pan or cookie sheet and slide from that onto the preheated stone for 15 or so minutes. To do a second pizza you only need to heat the stone for 5 minutes.
3. For pizza sticks, roll out the dough and use the cutter and continue with the pizza stick pan directions.
Yummy!