Why This Recipe Works

Pizza is great for sharing, but personal pizzas mean everyone gets to add their own favorite toppings! This recipe calls for 1 pound of pizza dough, which is then divided into four equal pieces, one for each pizza. Take this opportunity for kids to practice their division skills. If 1 pound of dough is equal to 16 ounces, how many ounces should each piece weigh, after the dough is divided into fourths? (Answer: 4 ounces) If you have a digital kitchen scale, have kids use it to make sure each piece of dough weighs exactly 4 ounces.

Before You Begin

You can substitute 1 pound of store-bought pizza dough for the homemade dough. If using store-bought dough, make sure to bring the dough to room temperature before starting the recipe and begin the recipe at step 7. (To bring dough to room temperature faster, place cold dough in zipper-lock plastic bag, squeeze out extra air, and seal bag. Place bag in large bowl filled with hot water. Turn and squeeze dough a few times until warmed to room temperature, about 15 minutes.) You can use ½ cup store-bought pizza sauce, if desired. See “Make It Your Way” at the bottom of this page for different pizza topping ideas and information on which toppings to add before baking and which to add after the pizzas come out of the oven.

Instructions

For the dough: Spray inside bottom and sides of large bowl with vegetable oil spray and set aside. In liquid measuring cup, combine water and 1 tablespoon oil.

Add flour, yeast, and sugar to food processor and lock lid into place. Hold down pulse button for 1 second, then release. Repeat until ingredients are combined, about five 1-second pulses.

Turn on processor, then slowly pour water mixture through feed tube and process until dough comes together, about 30 seconds. Stop processor. Let dough sit for 10 minutes.

Remove processor lid and sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt over dough. Lock lid back into place. Turn on processor and process for 1 minute. Stop processor.

Remove lid and carefully remove processor blade (ask an adult for help). Lightly spray counter and your hands with vegetable oil spray. Transfer dough to greased counter and use your greased hands to knead dough for 30 seconds, then form dough into smooth ball (see photos, “Step-by-Step: How to Knead Dough”).

Place dough in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until bubbly and doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.

For the pizzas: When dough is ready, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray 2 rimmed baking sheets well with vegetable oil spray.

Place room-temperature dough on clean counter. Use bench scraper or chef’s knife to divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Pat each piece of dough into 3½-inch circle.

Spray piece of plastic wrap lightly with vegetable oil spray. Cover dough pieces with greased plastic. Let rise on counter until slightly puffy, about 15 minutes.

While dough rises, set colander in sink. Pour tomatoes in colander. Shake colander to drain tomatoes well.

Transfer drained tomatoes to clean food processor. Add garlic, vinegar, oregano, pepper, 1 tablespoon oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Lock lid into place. Turn on processor and process mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds. Stop processor.

Remove lid and carefully remove processor blade. Use rubber spatula to transfer sauce to medium bowl. Measure out ½ cup sauce. (Remaining sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Sprinkle clean counter lightly with flour. Remove one piece of dough from under plastic and place on lightly floured counter. Flip dough over to coat with flour. Use rolling pin to roll into 7-inch circle, rotating dough in between rolls (see photos, “Step-by-Step: How to Roll Personal Pizzas”).

Transfer rolled dough to one greased baking sheet. Repeat rolling with one more piece of dough and place on same baking sheet.

Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons sauce into center of each pizza and use back of spoon to spread into even layer, leaving ¼-inch border around edge.

Sprinkle each pizza with ¼ cup mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Top with your favorite toppings (see “Make It Your Way”).

Place baking sheet in oven and bake pizzas until edges are browned and cheeses are well browned and bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes.

While first 2 pizzas are baking, shape and top 2 more pizzas, repeating steps 10 through 13 with remaining 2 dough balls, sauce, cheeses, and toppings. Place pizzas on second greased baking sheet.

Use oven mitts to remove first baking sheet from oven and place on cooling rack (ask an adult for help). Let pizzas cool for 5 minutes. While first 2 pizzas are cooling, bake second batch of pizzas until edges are browned and cheeses are well browned and bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes.

Use spatula to loosen edges of cooled pizzas from baking sheets, then carefully transfer to cutting board (baking sheets will be hot). Use pizza wheel or chef’s knife to slice pizzas and serve.