Cooking with children is a delightful activity, and pizza is a good introductory food. Kneading dough and putting on toppings invests a child with pride about cooking for himself and the family. Iain likes a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and pizza is one more way for him to enjoy them. Since his daddy is the pizza maker in the family, this is an activity that can be special for father and son. The ingredients are simple, the kneading is fun like Play-doh, the rising dough is like magic, and topping pizzas is creative! It's a pretty cool experience.
Easy Pizza
2 Tablespoons yeast (one little foil package)
1 1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
Whisk these together and let it stand 5 minutes.
Add:
3 cups white flour
1 cup wheat or semolina flour (or another cup white)
1 teaspoon salt
Wash those little hands and let your child help knead the dough for a full 5 min. Cover the bowl and let it stand for 1 hour (on the stovetop near the tea kettle is a nice spot). It will puff up to the amazement of all, and then it is time to knead it again for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 2 balls--each one will make 4 nice pieces, so you can cook them for lunch on separate days or use it all to make two 12" pizzas. Roll the dough out to about a 12" circle or square. Use spaghetti sauce for pizza sauce, load on mozzarella cheese or a cheese blend, and add the toppings. Place on a baking stone or a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking oil. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the crust is browned. Enjoy--and give lots of compliments to your little chef!
