Description
Nostalgic school pizza brings classic cafeteria memories right to your kitchen with simple ingredients and easy preparation. Crispy crust, melted cheese, and familiar flavors will transport you back to lunchtime favorites from childhood.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 ⅔ cups (637 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) warm water
- 8 oz (226 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ lb (227 g) ground beef
Dough Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (7 g) quick-rise yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauce Ingredients:
- 6 oz (170 g) tomato paste
- 1 cup (237 ml) water
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ tablespoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon salt (for ground beef)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (for ground beef)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 475°F (245°C), ensuring an optimal temperature for crispy pizza crust.
- Prepare a 9×13-inch (23×33 centimeters) baking pan by coating with non-stick cooking spray and layering the bottom with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, powdered milk, granulated sugar, active dry yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl, whisking thoroughly to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Gently warm water and vegetable oil, then pour into dry ingredient mixture, stirring rapidly to form a cohesive pizza dough.
- Transfer dough into prepared pan, carefully pressing and stretching to create an even base; allow dough to relax momentarily if stretching becomes challenging.
- Partially bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until it begins to firm and slightly golden, then remove from oven.
- Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, completely cooking through; drain excess fat and season with salt and black pepper.
- Create pizza sauce by simmering tomato paste with water, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, and crushed rosemary on low-medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring periodically to develop rich flavors.
- Spread prepared sauce generously across partially baked crust, ensuring complete coverage.
- Distribute cooked ground beef evenly over sauce, then sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese across entire pizza surface, reaching all edges.
- Return pizza to oven, baking an additional 8-10 minutes until cheese melts completely and develops golden brown bubbles.
- Remove from oven and allow pizza to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into square servings.
Notes
- Crafting this nostalgic school pizza brings back warm memories of lunchtime excitement.
- Prepare all ingredients beforehand to streamline the cooking process and reduce kitchen stress.
- Homemade sauce delivers richer flavors compared to store-bought alternatives, making every bite more delicious.
- Stretching dough might feel tricky initially, but patient pressing creates a perfect crispy base.
- Precise cheese coverage ensures melty, golden-brown goodness in every single slice.
- Letting the pizza rest allows ingredients to settle, preventing molten cheese burns and improving overall texture.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Baking, Sautéing, Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 436 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 616 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg